Rethinking Education and Technology

This course has caused me to pause, reflect, and rethink the use of technology in education.  In my job at KDE, we utilize technology daily to connect with teachers, administrators, consultants, other state DOE's, organizations, etc. but I really had not given it much thought until this course.  I have pondered new possibilities for technology usage in education.  We must move beyond the era of technology in the classroom meaning a class trip to the school computer lab.  With the ability to blog, podcast, screencast, videocast, social media, polling, etc. teachers have many opportunities to integrate technology seamlessly into their curriculum as an everyday process.  I really think technology is going to challenge traditional mainstream public education and force us to rethink ways in which students learn and the environments possible for learning.  I do not see how we will continue thinking education requires us to meet collectively in a physical space for learning to occur.  Technology will push us to rethink education as it has pushed us to rethink most other areas of our lives.