One bad Apple...

There is no denying it. Our students today are overloaded, overwhelmed, and over-connected.  Consequently, what is bad becomes what is craved - digital stimulation without restraint is the lifeblood of the American youth! So the question then, is how do we (the overworked educator) pull on the reigns of this desire for digital dosage?

Anya Kamenetz presented three classroom management ideologies in her article, "Freedom, Digital Distraction and Control." While each has its merits, I can relate entirely to her thoughts on control through technology. This "fight fire with fire" approach attempts to redirect distracted students using technological "nudges" through the use of digital classroom control, content blocking apps, and practiced self-management. This approach does not villainize technology, but rather re-focuses on and glorifies the educational possibilities contained within. At Shelbyville Middle School, the student BYOT policy allows all students to bring and use personal devices for educational endeavors. I would love to be able to state here that all is well in this land of the connected - but all students using all technology appropriately at all times is, at this point, a pipe dream. Once the novelty of the connected classroom wears off, maybe we could reach Kamenetz's idea of full self-control, but it's just too early in the game. Right now, students need techno-nudges and LOTS of modeling in hopes of creating a self-sufficient digital learner. Try as we might, vigilant as we attempt to be, getting off-task is just too easy for our students who are so over-connected and therefore in need of constant changes - especially when the stimuli is digital! This is why I, as a connected teacher, am doing what I can to make each lesson attractive and each app as captivating as a Greek Siren. Without this, students cannot help but seek to find distractions that promise to suffice the digital desires. Simply put, students must WANT to be actively engaged in the educational technology that promises to connect them to that ever-precious 21st century skill.  When we are able to achieve this, then we will have set ourselves in the path to self-sufficient learners. It will take time and vigilance, but I believe eventually the fire will contain itself and students will begin to look at technology as tools for educational achievement first, social networking second. And through my experience, it is with fire that we will contain the fire.