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A term thrown around the educational world is Digital Natives. Digital Natives are our students. They were born into a world in which technology plays a de facto role in their lives. Our students are sharing sound and video bytes, communicating with loved ones across the country, and watching videos posted across the pond. As schools, why are we not taking advantage of their comfort zone and skill set? Why are we not buying into the digital world and reaping the benefits?

Digital classrooms provide easier access for students. How many times have we seen students digging in their locker or their backpack looking for their notes for tomorrow's test? With a digital classroom, the notes are there all the time. Students can use an app such as Evernote to create vibrant, organized notes at a push of a button.

Digital classrooms provide better, more up to date information. Text books that students currently have are outdated the minute they are printed. Take a look at geography book. Countries have come and gone since the book was printed. Information from the Internet is current. It is alive and ever growing.

Digital classrooms provide more opportunities for communicating. Discussion boards, blogs, wikis, email, pagers, are among the various programs that allow students real time communication. This communication is with their teachers, each other, and with experts from outside the school.

These are also the skills they will need to develop and refine as they go off to college or any form of post secondary education. This system of learning has shifted from a "neat toy" to a necessity in the toolbox of today's education and jobs. If want our students to compete with the world market place for innovation, education, and jobs; the tools gained from the digital classroom is what they will need.[[In-content Ad]]

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