discover its potential through the use of
the social web, interactive games, and
mobile devices.
Why? For one thing, schools see
the eruption of technologies and environments that allow for personalized
learning as a “disruptive innovation,”
according to Scott McLeod, associate
professor of educational leadership at
the University of Kentucky (Richardson,
2009). The ability to learn what we
want, when we want, with whomever
we want as long as we have access creates a huge push against a system of education steeped in
time-and-place learning. Notes McLeod,
We live in a moment
fundamentally rethink what we do in the
classroom with kids. (personal communication, October 1, 2011)
where personalizing
That rethinking revolves around a
fundamental question: When we have
an easy connection to the people and
resources we need to learn whatever and
whenever we want, what fundamental
changes need to happen in schools to
provide students with the skills and
experiences they need to do this type of
learning well? Or, to put it more suc-
cinctly, are we preparing students to
learn without us? How can we shift curriculum and pedagogy
to more effectively help students form and answer their own
questions, develop patience with uncertainty and ambiguity,
appreciate and learn from failure, and develop the ability to
go deeply into the subjects about which they have a passion
to learn?
the learning
experience is not just a
possibility—it’s almost
an expectation.
Between adaptive software that can present and assess mastery
of content, video games and simulations that can engage kids on
a different level, and mobile technologies and online environments that allow learning to happen on demand, we need to
