Fostering Human Connections with Technology

Children in our classrooms today do not remember a world before the internet and this has affected their world view.  Many people are worried about this.  They worry today's youth interact more easily with technology than with people.  At least that is one stereotype that is out there...

However, lately I have seen many examples of technology actually enhancing, not hindering contact between individuals.  Students can converse with students from other parts of the planet via video conference.  Students who can not get together after school can collaborate on projects using a Google Docs or Slides.  Time and again over the past two weeks I have noticed examples of technology building human connections.

So, if students are so proficient with these tools, often well ahead of their teachers in knowing how to make devices work, what role if any do educators play in the student's learning about technology.  In other subject areas, teachers tend to be ahead of the learning curve but not in this area.  Our responsibility isn't to be the tech experts, but rather, it is to provide leadership in how to use technology to foster human connections.  It is through human connections that we learn and grow best.  Our students need leadership to use these tools, especially those with built in collaboration like Google Apps for Education to interact with one another and learn from one another.  Yes they know how to Google, but do they know how to evaluate sources?  Do they know how to avoid dangers on the internet?  A new kind of leadership is needed from teachers in schools today.  We need to be open to letting students show us the cool features of whatever program they are exploring but we also need to show them a few things as well.  Teachers are the ones in the best position to show students how those cool features can be used in a safe way, to make learning better by bringing people together.