Learning & Leading Through Technology

Do you ever find yourself wishing you could command your students to engage the way Captain Jean Luc Picard commanded his crew in Star Trek: The Next Generation With that one word and a wave of his index finger, Picard made all hands on the bridge spring into action. Even Data looked more animated in the split second after hearing “Engage!” (To refresh your memory, watch this video: youtube.com/ watch?v=3jd1Ih8EUmw.)

If only it were that effortless in real life. We know it isn’t, but the 2013 ISTE award winners profiled in this issue certainly make helping students reach new levels of engagement look effortless (see pages 12–17).

These educators have
achieved impressive goals,
such as starting schools,
integrating 1: 1 across a
district with 25,000 stu-
dents, and collaborating
across several states. But
all of their projects have
one thing in common—
a commitment to keeping
the learning front and cen-
ter while letting technology
play a supporting role.

Mark Barnes, in his article “ROLE Reversal” (see pages 18–21) about results-only learning environments (ROLEs), describes how to combine student-focused and project-based learning with effectively integrated technology to create learning spaces that help students thrive. Barnes explains how a ROLE builds lifelong learners because it is collaborative, comfortable, and engaging.

Another interesting exam-
ple of engaging excellence is
the new Steve Jobs Schools
(education foranewera.
com), which use iPads as
the core technology. Seven
of these schools are now
open in the Netherlands,
with five more set to open
there in 2014. Pedagogy
is also at the core of this
program, where teachers
become coaches support-
ing students in their use
of the 1: 1 technology, allow-
ing for more individualized
instruction.

So when you find yourself wishing for Captain Picard to “make it so,” there’s no need to go as far as outer space for a solution. Look to these engaging educators and others closer by for models you can replicate in your own unique learning environments.

—Kate Conley is ISTE’s periodicals director and the editor of L&L. She holds a master’s degree in journalism and is a former high school English teacher. Conley has been with ISTE for nearly 15 years.

Engaging Excellence

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Recognizing the need to teach students how to efficiently
curate what they find and what they create is fast
becoming educators’ greatest responsibility.