November 25, 2025 • 33 mins
The way our kids learn has changed faster than most classrooms and homes can keep up. We’re past the era of memorizing from a single textbook; the real advantage now is knowing how to verify a claim, trace a source, and turn digital tools into deeper learning—not distractions. I share a clear roadmap for parents and educators who want students to thrive in a world where search results, AI tools, and social feeds shape what children see and believe.
You’ll hear why starting media literacy in elementary school matters, how personalized and competency‑based models unlock growth, and where game‑based learning and collaborative platforms can raise engagement and agency. I lay out 10 practical benefits digital tools bring to classrooms, from real‑time feedback to publish‑ready student work that builds pride and audience awareness.
Beyond the classroom, I tackle the hidden gaps: keyboarding, file management, safe browsing, email etiquette, privacy, and data analysis. I connect digital citizenship with social and emotional learning, pointing to tools like VoiceThread, Headspace, and Canva that foster perspective taking, mindfulness, and reflective goal‑setting. For families seeking real support, I outline a community‑powered solution—school “Tech Nights” that turn family engagement into shared learning, complete with themes, short activities, and simple guides so parents can practice the same tools their kids use every day.
If you’re ready to raise savvy, ethical, and capable digital learners, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe, share with a fellow parent or teacher, and leave a review to help more families find practical strategies that work.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education
Insights, Empowering Parents ofColor Podcast.
The podcast that converges atthe intersection of educational
research and parental actions.
It's about making the trends,topics, and theories in public
(01:00):
education understandable so thatyou can implement them into
practical, actionable strategiesthat work for your children.
My name is Dr.
Kim J.
Fields, former corporatemanager, turned education
researcher, and advocate, andI'm the host of this podcast.
(01:22):
I got into this space afterdealing with some frustrating
interactions with schooleducators and administrators, as
well as experiencing themicroaggressions that I faced as
an African-American mom raisingmy two kids who were in the
public school system.
I really wanted to understandhow teachers were trained and
(01:46):
what the research provided aboutthe challenges of the public
education system.
Once I gained the informationand the insights that I needed,
I was then equipped to be ableto successfully support my
children in their educationalprogress.
This battle-tested experience iswhat I provide as action steps
(02:11):
for you to take.
It's like enjoying a bowl ofeducational research with a
sprinkling of motherwit wisdomon top.
If you're looking to find outmore about the current
information and issues ineducation that could affect you
or your children, and the actionsteps you can take to give your
(02:36):
children the advantages theyneed, then you're in the right
place.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I know that staying informedabout K-12 public education
trends and topics is importantto you, so keep listening.
Give me 30 minutes or less, andI'll provide insights on the
(03:00):
latest trends, issues, andtopics pertaining to this
constantly evolving K-12 publiceducation environment.
Digital learning is now deeplyintegrated into public school
classroom curricula.
When students can learn fromusing digital resources, they'll
(03:22):
be better prepared to navigateinformation in an increasingly
digital world.
But using digital technology andunderstanding how to use it
responsibly are two differentthings.
In this episode, I explore howdigital technology has changed
(03:44):
learning, the benefits ofdigital learning, and why
digital learning is differentand necessary.
I also suggest a creative way inwhich you can learn more about
the digital technologies thatyour children use at school so
that you can help them withtheir online assignments at
(04:08):
home.
Let's gain some insight on this.
Schools are constantly trying tofigure out how best to use new
technologies, includingartificial intelligence and apps
that run on the internet.
Schools have overall done a goodjob adapting to the numerous
(04:30):
digital tools that have beenintroduced in classrooms and
offices.
But the bigger question is whydo school districts feel the
need to reinvent the wheel everytime a new technology is
released?
Instead of looking at each newtechnology as yet another tool
that must be integrated into thecurriculum, why can't schools
(04:50):
determine what's missing fromcurrent instruction and then
identify what preventsintegration from occurring
naturally?
For centuries, learning materialhas come from a variety of
physical resources, includingtextbooks, documents, audio
(05:11):
recordings, movies, andpaintings, as well as from
teachers.
In traditional instruction,teachers spend a great deal of
time teaching studentsinformation from these physical
resources, but the physicalnature of these resources limits
their availability to allstudents.
To ensure that students havelong-term access to the
(05:33):
information provided by usingthese physical resources, most
traditional instructionemphasizes memorization,
summarizing, and note-taking.
But with digital resources,students can access information
at any time from anywhere, whichmeans learning how to retain
(05:56):
information is less importantthan learning how to effectively
find credible information.
It's the authenticity of theinformation that matters because
the same tools that are used toaccess digital resources can
just as easily be used to createnew digital resources.
(06:17):
As you know by now, there's alot of misinformation available
online, and most of it consistsof personal opinions.
Students need to not only beable to search for information
online, but they also need to beable to verify the authenticity
of online information.
This key skill of identifyingmisleading or false information
(06:42):
online is the skill that wouldbenefit them in their personal
and academic lives.
By understanding how onlinesearches work, students can be
more discerning when it comes toreviewing search results.
They need to be aware that themost helpful site does not
always appear at the top of thesearch list.
(07:04):
To help verify the authenticityof the resources and the
information found through anonline search, a popular
checklist method from the early2000s called CRAP, that would be
C-RAAP, which stands forcurrency or timeliness,
relevance, authority, accuracy,and purpose.
(07:29):
That method called CRAP has beenused, but the method doesn't
ensure the accuracy of theinformation on a website.
In 2019, the SIFT SIFT, whichstands for stop, investigate,
find confirming resources, andtrace claims methodology.
(07:55):
The SIFT methodology wasintroduced in 2019, and this
method focused more ondetermining if online content
was credible.
Students need to have access tohigh-quality digital resources
starting in elementary school.
When teachers instruct studentsabout how to verify websites at
(08:17):
an early age, this will helpstudents understand from the
beginning that there's a lot ofmisinformation available online.
Schools just need to make surethat they provide access to
digital resources that are ageappropriate.
Teachers should hold theexpectation that students
(08:38):
practice responsible internetbehavior.
Introducing a select number ofdigital resources in elementary
classes is a first step towardcreating discerning researchers
who will gain the ability toeffectively judge a website's
appropriateness and usefulness.
Teaching and learning aboutdigital resources is different,
(09:01):
yet traditional instruction doesnot meet the learning needs of
today's students.
Giving students the opportunityto master learning digital
resources will prepare them forthe next newest technology that
comes out and will enable themto determine how best to use it
(09:23):
on their own.
Digital learning tools help toimprove learning.
They contribute to creatinglearning environments that
support students in achievingsuccessful outcomes that can
prepare them for their futures.
Digital learning contributes todeep learning for students so
that they can master coreacademic content, think
(09:46):
critically and solve complexproblems, work collaboratively,
communicate effectively, andlearn how to learn.
Digital learning tools help tocustomize educational
experiences while serving theneeds of individual students on
his or her own unique learningpath.
(10:07):
Digital learning promotes deeperlearning through, number one,
personalized skill building inpreparation for deeper learning,
such as adaptive learning.
Two, schools and tools thatfoster deeper learning, such as
project-based learning networks,and three, extended access.
(10:29):
In other words, expanding accessto quality courses and effective
teachers online.
Digital learning has changed theworld by connecting billions of
young people to the ideaeconomy.
It's also improving workingconditions and career
(10:50):
opportunities for educators.
The shift from print to digitalis a profound transition in how
we learn, and some may considerit more significant than the
development of the printingpress.
The transition to go moredigital is transforming formal
education and spreading informallearning opportunities.
(11:14):
Digital learning is reinforcing10 benefits for teachers and how
they bring lessons to theclassroom.
These benefits include one,personalized learning.
The opportunity to help everystudent learn at the best pace
and path for them is the mostimportant benefit of digital
(11:36):
learning.
This involves providingpersonalized, relevant, and
contextualized learning that canbe tailored to the student's own
passions, strengths, needs,family, culture, and community.
Personalized learning will alsohelp educators more quickly
(11:56):
diagnose any learning gaps sothat progress can be
accelerated.
Two, expanded learningopportunities.
Learning happens at many timesand in many places.
Having access to full andpart-time online learning means
(13:01):
that every student, depending onstate policies where they live,
has access to world languages,college preparatory curriculum,
and advanced studies.
There are thousands ofuniversity courses by some of
the best professors in the worldthat are available for free to
anyone with an internetconnection.
(13:25):
3.
High engagement learning.
Digital learning can booststudent motivation, especially
through the use of game-basedlearning, which offers better
engagement, invisibleassessment, and deep learning.
This type of learning recognizesstudents as active participants
(13:47):
in their own learning andengages them in the design of
their experiences as well as therealization of their learning
outcomes in ways that areappropriate for their
developmental level.
Four, competency based learning.
With competency based learning,students show what they know and
(14:08):
they progress based ondemonstrated mastery.
Five, assessment for learning.
Digital learning providescontinuous feedback from content
embedded assessment, games,simulations, and adaptive
learning.
Student motivation and agencyimproves when they can track
(14:32):
their own progress.
Six, collaborative learning.
Digital learning buildscollaboration skills.
Social learning platforms likeEdmodo make it easy for teachers
to create and manage groups.
Even collaborative writingenvironments like Google Docs
make it easy for teams toco-author documents and
(14:55):
presentations.
Seven, quality learningproducts.
Digital learning tools allowstudents to produce professional
quality products and share themwith public audiences near and
far.
Presentations, publications, andportfolios change the classroom
(15:16):
culture from a turn it inenvironment to a production
environment for publicaudiences.
Student writing typicallyimproves with continued use of
quality learning products.
Eight, sharing economy.
There are numerous free and opencontent digital learning tools.
(15:39):
Schools can save money whileensuring equitable access and
the sharing of these platformshave made it possible for
millions of educators to sharetools and resources across state
lines.
9.
Relevant and regularly updatedcontent.
Students have more access torelevant and regularly updated
(16:03):
content regardless of their ageor the type of content.
Having the ability to updateeasily means students have
access to updated materials andfeatures on a regular basis.
And 10, next gen learning foreducators.
Blended, personalized, andcompetency-based learning
(16:26):
applies to educators as well.
Teachers can join onlineprofessional learning
communities and stay connectedwith peers and global
communities.
Creating high-quality,customized education for all
students includes digitallearning in traditional schools,
(16:46):
online and virtual learning, andblended learning that combines
online and on-site learning.
It incorporates elements such asstudent eligibility because all
students are digital learners,student access to high-quality
digital content and onlinecourses, personalized learning,
(17:08):
advancement, meaning thatstudents progress based on
demonstrated competency, qualitycontent, quality instruction,
quality choices in high qualitydigital providers, assessment
and accountability, funding, anddelivery through an
(17:29):
infrastructure that supportsdigital learning.
Digital learning involvesstudents using technology to
master educational concepts,yet, this may not always equate
to students having the necessarytech skills to succeed.
No doubt.
Today's students have grown upwith smartphones, tablets, and
(17:52):
virtual assistants.
They don't even know the worldthat existed before the
internet.
Most of them can comfortablynavigate any new app or digital
device and can typicallyoutsmart parental controls.
But there are many students whoare missing basic technology
skills and many illiteracyskills, such as actually typing
(18:15):
on a full-size keyboard,searching the web, determining
if an online source islegitimate or writing an
effective email message.
All of these are necessary forsuccess, not just in school and
careers, but in their personallives also.
Here are the text skills thatmost educators say every student
(18:39):
should have.
Number one, basic computerskills.
How to open a file with theright program, how to find a
document, and how to save fileson an external hard drive.
Students should also developproficient typing skills if
they're going to be usingcomputer keyboards regularly.
(19:02):
2.
Digital communication skills.
Students need to be able tocommunicate their ideas clearly
using technology, whether it'sthrough email, social media,
video conference, or wordprocessing and presentation
programs.
They should also be able tocollaborate with others in a
(19:24):
digital environment to createshared files.
3.
Students need to have the skillsthat will protect their
sensitive information from cybercriminals.
They need to learn not to sharepersonal information and should
be able to recognize when awebsite is secure and legitimate
(19:46):
as well as how to avoid emailphishing attempts by hackers.
4.
Media literacy.
Media literacy skills includethe ability to access
information, analyze andevaluate it, create content, and
act on that content using allforms of communication, whether
(20:08):
that be through print, TV, orthe internet.
Students must be able to thinkcritically and evaluate the
authenticity and reliability ofany information they see and
hear online.
5.
Digital citizenship.
This is about teaching studentshow to use technology
(20:30):
thoughtfully and empathetically.
Students need to know how to bekind and respectful in the
online environment so thatothers feel safe and welcome to
participate.
6.
Research and data analysis.
Students need to be able to siftthrough vast amounts of
(20:51):
information available online andbe able to analyze what's
valuable and worth using orsharing and what needs to be
ignored or dismissed.
7.
Problem solving.
Students should also know how touse digital technology to find
solutions to the world'sproblems, whether that's coding
(21:15):
an app that will save lives orfiguring out how to clean up the
ocean.
They also need to know how totroubleshoot problems, show
persistence, and be able tolearn from failures.
8.
Creativity.
All of this learning should befun and gamified if possible,
(21:38):
because this helps foster theircreative thinking skills.
Additionally, they need to learnto use digital tools with their
imagination so that they expressthemselves and connect with
others, whether that's throughdigital art or podcasts or
videos.
Technology is often blamed forcausing bad behavior among
(22:01):
students, especially middleschoolers, but it can also be
used to promote positive socialskills if it's used
intentionally and correctly.
When it's used intentionally,digital technology can promote
kindness, collaboration, andother essential social skills.
(22:21):
Students need to learn how towork productively and
communicate respectfully withone another on online platforms
in order to successfullynavigate their digital worlds
and future careers.
One way to do this is forteachers of all subjects to
incorporate technology andsocial emotional learning
(22:42):
exercises into their existinglesson plans.
These exercises include topicssuch as conflict resolution,
problem solving, andmindfulness.
BoiceThread is an app that canhelp middle school students
learn to see other points ofview and cause them to pause and
(23:03):
think before responding.
These skills are important notjust for working in groups at
school, but also for beingrespectful and positive on
social media.
Headspace is another tool forimproving students' emotional
regulation.
It teaches students socialemotional skills such as
(23:25):
emotional management and socialawareness through short videos.
The tool has videos that coverlessons on how to show gratitude
as well as the health benefitsof smiling.
One last and most likely afamiliar tool is Canva.
Students could use Canva tocreate templates for reflections
(23:49):
and goal setting, both of whichare important to develop their
self-awareness.
For middle school students, thistool can be especially helpful
for those students who struggleto write by hand and for those
whom journaling may be astruggle.
Visually representing theirgoals might help these students
(24:09):
reflect on their behaviors.
Do you wish you had strongertechnological skills so that you
could help your children withtheir online class assignments?
Well, your child's school mayplay a role in improving your
digital know-how so that you canhelp your children work through
online class assignments athome.
(24:32):
It turns out that 83% offamilies want their schools to
provide more information on howto use digital tools to support
their children's learning.
However, about 51% of parentssaid they felt very comfortable
managing their children'spasswords and access to online
learning sites, digitaltextbooks, and curriculum.
(24:55):
But given that school districtsare already facing a lot of
demands when it comes to policy,practice, and guidance with
issues like cell phone bands,digital citizenship, media
literacy, and AI, they may nothave the internal capacity to be
able to handle teaching parentsthese technological skills.
(25:17):
Maybe there's a need for a morecommunity-wide approach because
parents need to be given theresources they need to help them
support their children's digitalskill development at home.
Some states, including Delaware,Massachusetts, and New Mexico,
(25:37):
are working to boost the digitalcitizenship skills of both
parents and students required byschools and teach these specific
skills alongside academics tostudents.
Not surprisingly, low-incomeparents, those with lower
education levels, and thosewhose first language is not
(25:59):
English are more likely tostruggle in helping their
children use technology tocomplete school assignments at
home.
This only exacerbates existinginequities.
My question to you is (26:13):
are you aware of the resources that your
children's school provides tohelp you understand the
technology that's required forthem to complete their
assignments at home?
This might be something that'sdefinitely worth your while to
check into.
(26:34):
So, what can you do with theinformation I just shared?
Here are the action steps youcan take regarding digital
learning in today's classroom.
Here's an ideaful one way foryou to become familiar with the
technology your child uses tocomplete their online
(26:55):
assignments at home and inclass.
As you know, research shows thatparental involvement in your
child's education leads tohigher academic achievement,
greater motivation, andincreased student success.
Although schools often organizeevents to get parents involved
(27:17):
in their children's learning,drawing parents in can still be
a challenge.
An idea sparked by a technologyresource teacher in the
Portsmouth School District inVirginia might be of interest to
you.
This teacher found success byturning family engagement into
(27:38):
shared learning experiencesthrough a series of tech nights.
Parents were able to see whattheir children were doing in the
school and the district with thedigital tools that the district
provides.
Students could demonstrate theactivities that they perform at
school on the digital tools withtheir parents.
(27:59):
In other words, parents couldparticipate with their children
in using these digital tools.
The key is to build eventsaround fun and engaging themes.
These events also serve asopportunities to promote digital
citizenship and to help parentsbecome more familiar with the
(28:20):
digital tools that the schooluses to communicate with
families.
If you like this idea, here aresome recommendations to organize
a successful tech night at yourchild's school.
One, choose the time, date,theme, and location.
Themes could include tech ortreat, tech camp, love of tech,
(28:47):
etc.
Two, collaborate with others inyour network, such as the PTA.
Three, choose tech tools thatyou want to highlight.
Make sure you have multiple setsof each of these tools.
Four, design short, engagingactivities around the theme and
(29:08):
the tools.
Keep each activity between 10 to15 minutes.
Provide giveaways, food, and orentertainment for the event.
Five, create a one-pageinstruction sheet so that
families can complete theactivities with little hands-on
support.
(29:28):
6.
Coordinate with the school toensure that staff support is
available as needed.
And seven, market the event wellin advance.
This could include sendingflyers home with students,
sending emails to the familywith links to sign up for the
event, as well as promoting theevent on the district website,
(29:52):
social media, or schoolnewsletter.
Getting parents to the event andconnected to the digital tools
the district uses may still be achallenge when you first run the
event, but the more events thatyou do and the more resources
that are provided for parents,the more parents are likely to
(30:14):
engage with the event.
Give it a try.
Here are this episode'stakeaways.
Teaching and learning aboutdigital resources is different,
yet, traditional instructiondoes not meet the learning needs
(30:37):
of today's students.
Giving students the opportunityto master learning digital
resources will prepare them forthe next newest technology that
comes out and will enable themto determine how best to use it
on their own.
Digital learning tools help toimprove learning.
(30:59):
They contribute to creatinglearning environments that
support students in achievingsuccessful outcomes that can
prepare them for their future.
Digital learning contributesContributes to deeper learning
for students so that they mastercore academic content, think
critically, and solve complexproblems, work collaboratively,
(31:22):
communicate effectively, andlearn how to learn.
Digital learning involvesstudents using technology to
master educational concepts, yetthis may not always equate to
students having the necessarytech skills to succeed.
Basic technology skills andmedia literacy skills include
(31:46):
skills such as actually typingon a full-size keyboard,
searching the web, determiningif an online source is
legitimate, or writing aneffective email message, all of
which are necessary for success,not just in school and careers,
but in their personal livesalso.
(32:11):
Did you enjoy this episode?
Then be sure to subscribe to mypodcast on whatever service
you're listening to this.
Thanks for listening today.
Be sure to come back for moreinsights on K 12 educational
topics that impact you and yourchildren.
Until next time, learn somethingnew every day.
Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education
Insights, Empowering Parents ofColor Podcast.
The podcast that converges atthe intersection of educational
research and parental actions.
It's about making the trends,topics, and theories in public
(01:00):
education understandable so thatyou can implement them into
practical, actionable strategiesthat work for your children.
My name is Dr.
Kim J.
Fields, former corporatemanager, turned education
researcher, and advocate, andI'm the host of this podcast.
(01:22):
I got into this space afterdealing with some frustrating
interactions with schooleducators and administrators, as
well as experiencing themicroaggressions that I faced as
an African-American mom raisingmy two kids who were in the
public school system.
I really wanted to understandhow teachers were trained and
(01:46):
what the research provided aboutthe challenges of the public
education system.
Once I gained the informationand the insights that I needed,
I was then equipped to be ableto successfully support my
children in their educationalprogress.
This battle-tested experience iswhat I provide as action steps
(02:11):
for you to take.
It's like enjoying a bowl ofeducational research with a
sprinkling of motherwit wisdomon top.
If you're looking to find outmore about the current
information and issues ineducation that could affect you
or your children, and the actionsteps you can take to give your
(02:36):
children the advantages theyneed, then you're in the right
place.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I know that staying informedabout K-12 public education
trends and topics is importantto you, so keep listening.
Give me 30 minutes or less, andI'll provide insights on the
(03:00):
latest trends, issues, andtopics pertaining to this
constantly evolving K-12 publiceducation environment.
Digital learning is now deeplyintegrated into public school
classroom curricula.
When students can learn fromusing digital resources, they'll
(03:22):
be better prepared to navigateinformation in an increasingly
digital world.
But using digital technology andunderstanding how to use it
responsibly are two differentthings.
In this episode, I explore howdigital technology has changed
(03:44):
learning, the benefits ofdigital learning, and why
digital learning is differentand necessary.
I also suggest a creative way inwhich you can learn more about
the digital technologies thatyour children use at school so
that you can help them withtheir online assignments at
(04:08):
home.
Let's gain some insight on this.
Schools are constantly trying tofigure out how best to use new
technologies, includingartificial intelligence and apps
that run on the internet.
Schools have overall done a goodjob adapting to the numerous
(04:30):
digital tools that have beenintroduced in classrooms and
offices.
But the bigger question is whydo school districts feel the
need to reinvent the wheel everytime a new technology is
released?
Instead of looking at each newtechnology as yet another tool
that must be integrated into thecurriculum, why can't schools
(04:50):
determine what's missing fromcurrent instruction and then
identify what preventsintegration from occurring
naturally?
For centuries, learning materialhas come from a variety of
physical resources, includingtextbooks, documents, audio
(05:11):
recordings, movies, andpaintings, as well as from
teachers.
In traditional instruction,teachers spend a great deal of
time teaching studentsinformation from these physical
resources, but the physicalnature of these resources limits
their availability to allstudents.
To ensure that students havelong-term access to the
(05:33):
information provided by usingthese physical resources, most
traditional instructionemphasizes memorization,
summarizing, and note-taking.
But with digital resources,students can access information
at any time from anywhere, whichmeans learning how to retain
(05:56):
information is less importantthan learning how to effectively
find credible information.
It's the authenticity of theinformation that matters because
the same tools that are used toaccess digital resources can
just as easily be used to createnew digital resources.
(06:17):
As you know by now, there's alot of misinformation available
online, and most of it consistsof personal opinions.
Students need to not only beable to search for information
online, but they also need to beable to verify the authenticity
of online information.
This key skill of identifyingmisleading or false information
(06:42):
online is the skill that wouldbenefit them in their personal
and academic lives.
By understanding how onlinesearches work, students can be
more discerning when it comes toreviewing search results.
They need to be aware that themost helpful site does not
always appear at the top of thesearch list.
(07:04):
To help verify the authenticityof the resources and the
information found through anonline search, a popular
checklist method from the early2000s called CRAP, that would be
C-RAAP, which stands forcurrency or timeliness,
relevance, authority, accuracy,and purpose.
(07:29):
That method called CRAP has beenused, but the method doesn't
ensure the accuracy of theinformation on a website.
In 2019, the SIFT SIFT, whichstands for stop, investigate,
find confirming resources, andtrace claims methodology.
(07:55):
The SIFT methodology wasintroduced in 2019, and this
method focused more ondetermining if online content
was credible.
Students need to have access tohigh-quality digital resources
starting in elementary school.
When teachers instruct studentsabout how to verify websites at
(08:17):
an early age, this will helpstudents understand from the
beginning that there's a lot ofmisinformation available online.
Schools just need to make surethat they provide access to
digital resources that are ageappropriate.
Teachers should hold theexpectation that students
(08:38):
practice responsible internetbehavior.
Introducing a select number ofdigital resources in elementary
classes is a first step towardcreating discerning researchers
who will gain the ability toeffectively judge a website's
appropriateness and usefulness.
Teaching and learning aboutdigital resources is different,
(09:01):
yet traditional instruction doesnot meet the learning needs of
today's students.
Giving students the opportunityto master learning digital
resources will prepare them forthe next newest technology that
comes out and will enable themto determine how best to use it
(09:23):
on their own.
Digital learning tools help toimprove learning.
They contribute to creatinglearning environments that
support students in achievingsuccessful outcomes that can
prepare them for their futures.
Digital learning contributes todeep learning for students so
that they can master coreacademic content, think
(09:46):
critically and solve complexproblems, work collaboratively,
communicate effectively, andlearn how to learn.
Digital learning tools help tocustomize educational
experiences while serving theneeds of individual students on
his or her own unique learningpath.
(10:07):
Digital learning promotes deeperlearning through, number one,
personalized skill building inpreparation for deeper learning,
such as adaptive learning.
Two, schools and tools thatfoster deeper learning, such as
project-based learning networks,and three, extended access.
(10:29):
In other words, expanding accessto quality courses and effective
teachers online.
Digital learning has changed theworld by connecting billions of
young people to the ideaeconomy.
It's also improving workingconditions and career
(10:50):
opportunities for educators.
The shift from print to digitalis a profound transition in how
we learn, and some may considerit more significant than the
development of the printingpress.
The transition to go moredigital is transforming formal
education and spreading informallearning opportunities.
(11:14):
Digital learning is reinforcing10 benefits for teachers and how
they bring lessons to theclassroom.
These benefits include one,personalized learning.
The opportunity to help everystudent learn at the best pace
and path for them is the mostimportant benefit of digital
(11:36):
learning.
This involves providingpersonalized, relevant, and
contextualized learning that canbe tailored to the student's own
passions, strengths, needs,family, culture, and community.
Personalized learning will alsohelp educators more quickly
(11:56):
diagnose any learning gaps sothat progress can be
accelerated.
Two, expanded learningopportunities.
Learning happens at many timesand in many places.
Having access to full andpart-time online learning means
(13:01):
that every student, depending onstate policies where they live,
has access to world languages,college preparatory curriculum,
and advanced studies.
There are thousands ofuniversity courses by some of
the best professors in the worldthat are available for free to
anyone with an internetconnection.
(13:25):
3.
High engagement learning.
Digital learning can booststudent motivation, especially
through the use of game-basedlearning, which offers better
engagement, invisibleassessment, and deep learning.
This type of learning recognizesstudents as active participants
(13:47):
in their own learning andengages them in the design of
their experiences as well as therealization of their learning
outcomes in ways that areappropriate for their
developmental level.
Four, competency based learning.
With competency based learning,students show what they know and
(14:08):
they progress based ondemonstrated mastery.
Five, assessment for learning.
Digital learning providescontinuous feedback from content
embedded assessment, games,simulations, and adaptive
learning.
Student motivation and agencyimproves when they can track
(14:32):
their own progress.
Six, collaborative learning.
Digital learning buildscollaboration skills.
Social learning platforms likeEdmodo make it easy for teachers
to create and manage groups.
Even collaborative writingenvironments like Google Docs
make it easy for teams toco-author documents and
(14:55):
presentations.
Seven, quality learningproducts.
Digital learning tools allowstudents to produce professional
quality products and share themwith public audiences near and
far.
Presentations, publications, andportfolios change the classroom
(15:16):
culture from a turn it inenvironment to a production
environment for publicaudiences.
Student writing typicallyimproves with continued use of
quality learning products.
Eight, sharing economy.
There are numerous free and opencontent digital learning tools.
(15:39):
Schools can save money whileensuring equitable access and
the sharing of these platformshave made it possible for
millions of educators to sharetools and resources across state
lines.
9.
Relevant and regularly updatedcontent.
Students have more access torelevant and regularly updated
(16:03):
content regardless of their ageor the type of content.
Having the ability to updateeasily means students have
access to updated materials andfeatures on a regular basis.
And 10, next gen learning foreducators.
Blended, personalized, andcompetency-based learning
(16:26):
applies to educators as well.
Teachers can join onlineprofessional learning
communities and stay connectedwith peers and global
communities.
Creating high-quality,customized education for all
students includes digitallearning in traditional schools,
(16:46):
online and virtual learning, andblended learning that combines
online and on-site learning.
It incorporates elements such asstudent eligibility because all
students are digital learners,student access to high-quality
digital content and onlinecourses, personalized learning,
(17:08):
advancement, meaning thatstudents progress based on
demonstrated competency, qualitycontent, quality instruction,
quality choices in high qualitydigital providers, assessment
and accountability, funding, anddelivery through an
(17:29):
infrastructure that supportsdigital learning.
Digital learning involvesstudents using technology to
master educational concepts,yet, this may not always equate
to students having the necessarytech skills to succeed.
No doubt.
Today's students have grown upwith smartphones, tablets, and
(17:52):
virtual assistants.
They don't even know the worldthat existed before the
internet.
Most of them can comfortablynavigate any new app or digital
device and can typicallyoutsmart parental controls.
But there are many students whoare missing basic technology
skills and many illiteracyskills, such as actually typing
(18:15):
on a full-size keyboard,searching the web, determining
if an online source islegitimate or writing an
effective email message.
All of these are necessary forsuccess, not just in school and
careers, but in their personallives also.
Here are the text skills thatmost educators say every student
(18:39):
should have.
Number one, basic computerskills.
How to open a file with theright program, how to find a
document, and how to save fileson an external hard drive.
Students should also developproficient typing skills if
they're going to be usingcomputer keyboards regularly.
(19:02):
2.
Digital communication skills.
Students need to be able tocommunicate their ideas clearly
using technology, whether it'sthrough email, social media,
video conference, or wordprocessing and presentation
programs.
They should also be able tocollaborate with others in a
(19:24):
digital environment to createshared files.
3.
Students need to have the skillsthat will protect their
sensitive information from cybercriminals.
They need to learn not to sharepersonal information and should
be able to recognize when awebsite is secure and legitimate
(19:46):
as well as how to avoid emailphishing attempts by hackers.
4.
Media literacy.
Media literacy skills includethe ability to access
information, analyze andevaluate it, create content, and
act on that content using allforms of communication, whether
(20:08):
that be through print, TV, orthe internet.
Students must be able to thinkcritically and evaluate the
authenticity and reliability ofany information they see and
hear online.
5.
Digital citizenship.
This is about teaching studentshow to use technology
(20:30):
thoughtfully and empathetically.
Students need to know how to bekind and respectful in the
online environment so thatothers feel safe and welcome to
participate.
6.
Research and data analysis.
Students need to be able to siftthrough vast amounts of
(20:51):
information available online andbe able to analyze what's
valuable and worth using orsharing and what needs to be
ignored or dismissed.
7.
Problem solving.
Students should also know how touse digital technology to find
solutions to the world'sproblems, whether that's coding
(21:15):
an app that will save lives orfiguring out how to clean up the
ocean.
They also need to know how totroubleshoot problems, show
persistence, and be able tolearn from failures.
8.
Creativity.
All of this learning should befun and gamified if possible,
(21:38):
because this helps foster theircreative thinking skills.
Additionally, they need to learnto use digital tools with their
imagination so that they expressthemselves and connect with
others, whether that's throughdigital art or podcasts or
videos.
Technology is often blamed forcausing bad behavior among
(22:01):
students, especially middleschoolers, but it can also be
used to promote positive socialskills if it's used
intentionally and correctly.
When it's used intentionally,digital technology can promote
kindness, collaboration, andother essential social skills.
(22:21):
Students need to learn how towork productively and
communicate respectfully withone another on online platforms
in order to successfullynavigate their digital worlds
and future careers.
One way to do this is forteachers of all subjects to
incorporate technology andsocial emotional learning
(22:42):
exercises into their existinglesson plans.
These exercises include topicssuch as conflict resolution,
problem solving, andmindfulness.
BoiceThread is an app that canhelp middle school students
learn to see other points ofview and cause them to pause and
(23:03):
think before responding.
These skills are important notjust for working in groups at
school, but also for beingrespectful and positive on
social media.
Headspace is another tool forimproving students' emotional
regulation.
It teaches students socialemotional skills such as
(23:25):
emotional management and socialawareness through short videos.
The tool has videos that coverlessons on how to show gratitude
as well as the health benefitsof smiling.
One last and most likely afamiliar tool is Canva.
Students could use Canva tocreate templates for reflections
(23:49):
and goal setting, both of whichare important to develop their
self-awareness.
For middle school students, thistool can be especially helpful
for those students who struggleto write by hand and for those
whom journaling may be astruggle.
Visually representing theirgoals might help these students
(24:09):
reflect on their behaviors.
Do you wish you had strongertechnological skills so that you
could help your children withtheir online class assignments?
Well, your child's school mayplay a role in improving your
digital know-how so that you canhelp your children work through
online class assignments athome.
(24:32):
It turns out that 83% offamilies want their schools to
provide more information on howto use digital tools to support
their children's learning.
However, about 51% of parentssaid they felt very comfortable
managing their children'spasswords and access to online
learning sites, digitaltextbooks, and curriculum.
(24:55):
But given that school districtsare already facing a lot of
demands when it comes to policy,practice, and guidance with
issues like cell phone bands,digital citizenship, media
literacy, and AI, they may nothave the internal capacity to be
able to handle teaching parentsthese technological skills.
(25:17):
Maybe there's a need for a morecommunity-wide approach because
parents need to be given theresources they need to help them
support their children's digitalskill development at home.
Some states, including Delaware,Massachusetts, and New Mexico,
(25:37):
are working to boost the digitalcitizenship skills of both
parents and students required byschools and teach these specific
skills alongside academics tostudents.
Not surprisingly, low-incomeparents, those with lower
education levels, and thosewhose first language is not
(25:59):
English are more likely tostruggle in helping their
children use technology tocomplete school assignments at
home.
This only exacerbates existinginequities.
My question to you is (26:13):
are you aware of the resources that your
children's school provides tohelp you understand the
technology that's required forthem to complete their
assignments at home?
This might be something that'sdefinitely worth your while to
check into.
(26:34):
So, what can you do with theinformation I just shared?
Here are the action steps youcan take regarding digital
learning in today's classroom.
Here's an ideaful one way foryou to become familiar with the
technology your child uses tocomplete their online
(26:55):
assignments at home and inclass.
As you know, research shows thatparental involvement in your
child's education leads tohigher academic achievement,
greater motivation, andincreased student success.
Although schools often organizeevents to get parents involved
(27:17):
in their children's learning,drawing parents in can still be
a challenge.
An idea sparked by a technologyresource teacher in the
Portsmouth School District inVirginia might be of interest to
you.
This teacher found success byturning family engagement into
(27:38):
shared learning experiencesthrough a series of tech nights.
Parents were able to see whattheir children were doing in the
school and the district with thedigital tools that the district
provides.
Students could demonstrate theactivities that they perform at
school on the digital tools withtheir parents.
(27:59):
In other words, parents couldparticipate with their children
in using these digital tools.
The key is to build eventsaround fun and engaging themes.
These events also serve asopportunities to promote digital
citizenship and to help parentsbecome more familiar with the
(28:20):
digital tools that the schooluses to communicate with
families.
If you like this idea, here aresome recommendations to organize
a successful tech night at yourchild's school.
One, choose the time, date,theme, and location.
Themes could include tech ortreat, tech camp, love of tech,
(28:47):
etc.
Two, collaborate with others inyour network, such as the PTA.
Three, choose tech tools thatyou want to highlight.
Make sure you have multiple setsof each of these tools.
Four, design short, engagingactivities around the theme and
(29:08):
the tools.
Keep each activity between 10 to15 minutes.
Provide giveaways, food, and orentertainment for the event.
Five, create a one-pageinstruction sheet so that
families can complete theactivities with little hands-on
support.
(29:28):
6.
Coordinate with the school toensure that staff support is
available as needed.
And seven, market the event wellin advance.
This could include sendingflyers home with students,
sending emails to the familywith links to sign up for the
event, as well as promoting theevent on the district website,
(29:52):
social media, or schoolnewsletter.
Getting parents to the event andconnected to the digital tools
the district uses may still be achallenge when you first run the
event, but the more events thatyou do and the more resources
that are provided for parents,the more parents are likely to
(30:14):
engage with the event.
Give it a try.
Here are this episode'stakeaways.
Teaching and learning aboutdigital resources is different,
yet, traditional instructiondoes not meet the learning needs
(30:37):
of today's students.
Giving students the opportunityto master learning digital
resources will prepare them forthe next newest technology that
comes out and will enable themto determine how best to use it
on their own.
Digital learning tools help toimprove learning.
(30:59):
They contribute to creatinglearning environments that
support students in achievingsuccessful outcomes that can
prepare them for their future.
Digital learning contributesContributes to deeper learning
for students so that they mastercore academic content, think
critically, and solve complexproblems, work collaboratively,
(31:22):
communicate effectively, andlearn how to learn.
Digital learning involvesstudents using technology to
master educational concepts, yetthis may not always equate to
students having the necessarytech skills to succeed.
Basic technology skills andmedia literacy skills include
(31:46):
skills such as actually typingon a full-size keyboard,
searching the web, determiningif an online source is
legitimate, or writing aneffective email message, all of
which are necessary for success,not just in school and careers,
but in their personal livesalso.
(32:11):
Did you enjoy this episode?
Then be sure to subscribe to mypodcast on whatever service
you're listening to this.
Thanks for listening today.
Be sure to come back for moreinsights on K 12 educational
topics that impact you and yourchildren.
Until next time, learn somethingnew every day.
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