March 2019 #futureofschool Chat Recap

March 28, 2019 marked another exciting #futureofschool Twitter chat! In going live for the third time, we heard from parents, educators, school leaders and forward thinking organizations on how to collaborate to reimagine schools of the future. Hosted by Amy Valentine, executive director of the Foundation for Blended and Online Learning (FBOL) and Jon Craig, a high school teacher and FBOL Innovative Educator, last month’s chat focused on the potential for and implementation of technology in K-12 education.

We explored a variety of challenges that come with embracing technology as a teaching and learning tool, and talked about how to overcome resistance to change. Amy and Jon discussed the following questions with our very engaged crowd for a full hour:

  • What do you think is the first step toward adopting an effective, meaningful tech plan for your classroom or local school?

  • When it comes to tech in K-12 schools, mindset matters. If you were to help others open up to the idea of tech, how might you go about it?

  • What is the most critical aspect of creating a #futureofschool culture that embraces technology

  • What are some of the reasons why tech can fail to meet expectations?

  • How do you reconcile what tech skills you know students need with existing school support + capacity?

  • Knowing that kids come from all experience levels, how can educators best bridge a digital divide?

  • As an educator, can you ever negotiate a ‘hard’ no when it comes to funding for innovative tools?

Chat participants largely agreed that edtech implementation requires clear goal setting ahead of implementation. It also requires research to find the right tool for the job. Matching technology to requirements thorough initial training and continued support all found overarching approval in tweets.

Getting everyone on board—from parents to students to teachers and administrators—and learning from each other were also considered crucial to the successful implementation of tech in school settings. Actively listening to concerns and keeping communication channels open to know what works, what doesn’t and why, were also identified as being part of a well-rounded approach to incorporating technology in education. Last but definitely not least: providing targeted professional development for teachers figured prominently as a means for ensuring effective use of edtech, both within and outside of the classroom.

Check out some of the chat highlights below—and share your story about edtech in K-12 education. (You can also join in the next #futureofschool conversation on April 25, 2019 at 6pm ET!)

👉Join us for the next #futureofschool conversation on April 25, 2019 at 6pm ET, and invite your friends & colleagues to offer their perspectives. In the meantime, consider sharing your story about K-12 education… listening to the community and elevating YOUR voice is what we're all about!

eventLisa Mullis