Abstract

Information technology in education remains a relatively new field. Although the presence of computers in schools has spanned the past 30 years, effective and transparent integration of technologies remains somewhat sporadic, and possibly even elusive, in formal educational settings (Cuban, 2001; Scardamalia, 2001; Trilling & Fadel,2009). However, despite indications that technology is slow to be integrated on a broad and deep level, there remains ample evidence that greater integration can serve students needs well in the 21st century. A breadth of research suggests that the use of information technology in classrooms brings learning value to students. That is, it reduces learning barriers (Rose & Meyer, 2002), improves academic success (Wenglinsky, 2005), improves the student’s chances of learning success (Slavin, 2005), leads to higher high school completion statistics (Waks, 2006), creates a greater sense of adaptive communication and school community (Zhang, Scardamalia, Lamon, Messina, & Reeve, 2007), and provides greater opportunity for flexible access to learning (Palloff & Pratt, 1999). Prensky (2001) observes that today’s students, whom he terms ‘digital natives’, differ significantly from the generation of educators teaching them, the so-called ‘digital immigrants’. Today’s students have vastly different interests, skills, and brain functions that are not always recognized or attended to within many contemporary school systems. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss how technology can be implemented both at the school and district levels by addressing pedagogical methods and philosophies. In doing so, students will have a better start entering the second decade of the 21st century and the Knowledge Age.