The Flat World

This may sound corny, but I look at my job as one of the most critical to our success…let me explain…
According to Thomas Friedman our "World is Flat!" our PSD graduates are no longer competing with the kids from Tacoma, Sumner, or even Seattle or Spokane. In this flat world PSD grads are competing with kids in Bangalore, India and Dongguan,China cities of over 7 million people on the other side of the world. Technology has been the great equalizer for them, leveling the playing field as it helped flatten the world.

PSD kids today are smart and they can compete but we have got to change the way we engage them in their learning! I would expect that mostly adults will read this blog, adults that can read at least at a 6th grade level. What is your technology level? Have you compared your technology skills with those that seem to come naturally to your children? Our teachers and administrators are no different; we adults are all “digital immigrants” new to this country of Digitalness. Cell phones, ipods, myspace blogs, wikis and podcasts, PSD kids are “digital natives” they speak this language and follow these customs with ease.

There is a way to use technology to engage kids to help enable them to compete in the “Flat World” but we first need to learn to use it ourselves. My job as Director of Technology Planning is to support principals and teachers in this effort as we design new programs and buildings that engage our students using technology as a tool to improve student achievement.