ISTE President Calls for Technology to Engage Students

By Raju Shanbhag

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

Educators should focus less on teaching technology than on imbibing technology in education. This was the call of newly elected president of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Trina Davis, according to a report on Business Wire.

 

The occasion was ISTE's 2007 National Educational Computing Conference, held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The president felt that it was no longer just a matter of teaching the kids the use of a mouse or turning on a monitor. She feels that our emphasis should be on providing an engaging, authentic learning experience using technology appropriately and effectively to make that happen.

 

The scene in the modern education world is changing fast. Blackboards and markers are fast being replaced by multimedia aided web presentations and online learning tools. According to a report in Education Week, nearly all U.S. schools can get online and most of the country's instructional computers use high-speed Internet connections. However, a student may not be able to access these tools at his home, especially if he belongs to a lower income group of the society.

 

Davis feels that access to technology and its transformative powers in learning must be enjoyed by all and it should not be a privilege of a few students who happen to be in a better geography or economy.

 

With the rise of new technologies, connecting to each other on a global scale is a reality now. It can be now done economically and easily. David encouraged the participants to use these technologies and expand the student’s learning outside the classrooms. This will prepare the students for a successful transition into the digital age. Davis said, “Embrace global learning and the opportunities it presents for you and your students.”

 

Davis, who is replacing outgoing ISTE president Kurt Steinhaus, is an assistant professor and director of eEducation at Texas A&M University in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture. She has more than 13 years in public education, including teaching mathematics at the middle school and college level.