As educators, we need to teach not only the curriculum but do so in a way that prepares students for life outside of education. While I realize that we can not predict the future, I think it's safe to say that technology will be part of it. If we view education through the lens described by Will Richardson in this article (http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/guest-post-three-starting-points-for-thinking-differently-about-learning/?_r=0), we need to teach digital citizenship through all aspects of the curriculum. Here is a simple "map" for teachers and administrators to follow to develop a plan for digital citizenship with the classroom and school. http://www.edudemic.com/2013/08/first-five-days-of-digital-citizenship-at-your-school/
Teaching these life skills is essential in order for our students to be prepared for their future. The challenge is that we are living in a time where change is happening so quickly that it's easy to become overwhelmed and not know where to start. If we look at instruction from a historical perspective, consider how the telephone was introduced into the home ....the adults knew how to use it and showed the children. Information was disseminated in a linear, hierarchal manner. Today, information changes quickly and comes at us from many directions. In many cases, the students are more skilled at using technology than the adults....and that is okay provided that we have guided them to use it appropriately and in manner that improves their skills.
