The Fourth Industrial Revolution is a term used to describe the unprecedented and far-reaching impacts that the Internet and the introduction of smart technology is having on our world. Students are becoming part of a global community of learners and technology is the tool that will allow them to interpret and interact with that world. We want our students to be more than just consumers of technology, we want them to be creators and innovators in a digital world.
While some think tanks have predicted that technology will soon replace teachers as these innovations spill over into the world of education, teachers will always play a role in developing the minds and bodies of our youth. Combining the power of technology with the power of the humanity found in our teachers will build students who can collaborate, think critically and creatively, and communicate effectively with others.
This fall will bring opportunities for teachers to not simply react to a global pandemic but instead pivot our instructional models to match the needs of our global learners.
"Technology is a pedagogical catalyst. It can make good classroom practices great, and it can make bad classroom practices even worse. If we are to prepare our students to meet the challenges of their future in a rapidly changing world, teachers must be prepared to use technology well." -Koen Timmers, - Global Teacher Prize Top 50 finalist, 2017 & 2018