Reading Sheninger's books, Disruptive Thinking and Digital Leadership. What inspiration to imagine a very different kind of classroom, one without rows of seats and very obedient children sitting quietly and only speaking when given permission. That's the classroom where I learned to love learning but that's not the environment that today's students find the same pleasures and memories. It's sad but exciting at the same time. It was in a college classroom in my 30's where my passion for learning took on new levels. On some of the oldest computers we were introduced to a very simple paint application, multimedia, and eventually the Internet that no one at the time knew how to navigate. Being an artist at heart, the paint program sparked my desire to know more, excited me as much as a good book, and initiated my entrance into the world of instructional technology.
I have never looked back and because of those early memorable experiences, I knew this newfound machine could excite some students in learning unlike any other classroom resources.
I'm still convinced of that fact but even after 30 years as an educator, sadly, technology has not convinced all educators of the same benefits. Sheninger is right, the world has changed but not the classroom and hopefully, a pandemic will be the start of changes that have been a long time coming. His vision and experiences with a different kind of classroom renews my belief that a love for learning can become reality again for today's students. Just as COVID required us to think outside the box, we must accept that students need more than rows of seats and quiet classrooms. It is time for a change and technology can play an integral role in making the needed change.
