Tuesday, July 17, 2012

BYOT's place in the Creativity/Curiosity Movement

As Daniel Pink has laid claim in his grounbreaking book, "A Whole New Mind," the right brain is the most relevant and necessary part of the brain to use in the increasingly globalized 21st century of learning. Creativity is a HUGE part of this. Simply put, if we want students to have a fighting chance in this ever-changing 21st century landscape, then we MUST place more emphasis on this higher order thinking skill: CREATIVITY. Our student's futures simply depend on it. Pertaining to the future of students, the Vimeo video titled "the Future belongs to the Curious"  http://vimeo.com/34853044  is an inspiring thrust to all students and educators in this world of stale and paralyzing standardized testing. If we want to truly make a difference, we must find ways to innovate and create, dream and imagine while staring standardized inititiaves like CCSS in the face. One way of doing this, is to implement BYOT/BYOD ("Bring Your Own Technology/Device") in the midst of the required CCSS initiative.

The technology is NOT the sole answer. The answer may lie in the fact that we as the adults/educators have decided to say "yes." By allowing BYOT, we are, in essence, saying "it is okay for you to be free to learn as you see fit." BYOT simply lends itself to a more "real-life" experience for students in the digital age. Students can use their devices to create for themselves, to search for answers to their questions, to muse, to simply be their curious selves while dreaming of the next best invention or cure for disease. What a treat we, educators, have to assist our students in this process! Below is a response from one of my school district's teachers who has mused about the thought of creativity and curiosity...

"Curiosity and Creativity are - I believe - at the heart of learning. With curiosity, the student has an emotional investment in his/her own learning and is likely to remember and apply what he/she has learned in real life. Creativity is allowing the student to use his own best set of skills to learn and produce results."

What do you think? Do you believe BYOT lends itself to a more curious and creative learning process for students?

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