There\u2019s been a lot of discussion among policymakers and the media recently about the pitfalls of using technology in the classroom. Many of these conversations are worthwhile—it\u2019s important to be skeptical when spending scarce dollars for public education. The problem is that this debate often centers around the wrong question: Does technology belong in the classroom?<\/p>\n
If we keep asking this question, we won\u2019t make any progress. We know that technology belongs in the classroom. Have you ever asked whether technology belongs<\/em> in your workplace? Technology is a tool that helps us develop and apply skills we all value—curiosity, problem-solving, persistence, collaboration, information literacy.<\/p>\n So why do we talk so much about devices and software?<\/p>\n Maybe because it\u2019s easier. Technology is tangible. You can see it, touch it, and interact with it. You can\u2019t see curiosity or persistence. So when technology \u201cfailures\u201d occur in our schools, it\u2019s easy to blame what\u2019s right in front of us.<\/p>\n In the information age, these failures get attention, spread quickly, and shape our discussions. The absence of failure often goes ignored.<\/p>\n Through our work with the League of Innovative Schools<\/a>, a national coalition of 57 forward-thinking school districts, we know that the success and failure of technology initiatives are not black-and-white. In fact, our districts rarely even distinguish between a \u201ctechnology\u201d initiative and a \u201clearning” initiative. People make or break these efforts, not gadgets.<\/p>\n These districts focus on outcomes—how to instill the skills to create lifelong learners and global citizens. Technology helps students see the world, solve problems, and connect with others. It\u2019s a tool to get there, not the end point.<\/p>\n When it comes to technology—something so ingrained in our daily lives—what if we stop asking \u201cwhy\u201d and start asking \u201chow\u201d? What if we told stories about solutions instead of failures?<\/p>\n These prompts guided our recent meeting<\/a> of superintendents and other leaders from the League of Innovative Schools, co-hosted by Vancouver Public Schools<\/a>. We wanted League members to tell us why they are unique, from the perspectives of leaders, educators, and students.<\/p>\n In response, 18 districts submitted nearly 50 videos for our first League of Innovative Schools film festival. These submissions<\/a> fell into three categories:<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to see from these films that school districts are doing incredible things that few people outside—or even within—those communities know about. There are small and big victories occurring every day. There are fascinating perspectives on teaching and learning that are not represented in the mainstream media and policy discussions.<\/p>\n Take for instance, \u201cMaggie\u2019s Story,\u201d from Blue Valley Unified School District<\/a>, in Overland Park, Kansas. Students at the district\u2019s Center for Advanced Professional Studies<\/a> aren\u2019t just using 3-D printing and studying STEM subjects. They are working to change a young student\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n