Teachnology Leadership 09

I have been rapidly learning this past year to utilize a variety of web 2.0 tools for the benefit of my students, school community, and family. Educators have to be willing to grow, take risks and think outside the box if they are going to embrace the tools of the future. I believe Alan November said it well in Empowering Students with Technology when he wrote, "the real revolution is a transformational shift of control from the school system to the learner" (2001). Technology is not an add-on but an integral part of the curriculum creating a change in the teacher to student relationships in today's classrooms.
Soshana Zuboff's research clearly defines two approaches to using technology - automating and informating. She explains how the automation of technology leaves all things the same such as locus of control, relationships, the work and processes leading to little improvement. However, if an organization implements informating "new technologies can leverage empowerment through access to new sources of information and relationships" thus leading to high levels improvement(1988). This fundamental shift of control changes relationships, schedules, the use of space, and places responsibility on the learner. "Informating leads to empowerment" (November,2001).
With that said it is time for all educators to select the approach that will best serve the student's of today as they prepare for tomorrow's workforce. The global economy will require employees to be self-directed and interdependent with the freedom to manage their own work. Let's get this Techno-Revolution Rolling !