Today's generation of kids is raised in a media rich network world of infinite possibilities. Technology is with them everywhere. It is an aid for children to become literate by themselves. It can teach children almost everything. Parents and teachers play a great role in guiding and showing their children how to choose appropriate stuff from the internet and to throw out garbage. They should be able to keep up with the pace. It means that they shouldn't not only be aware of current things, but they also should be able to use all that is going to be. Children learn from the Internet things that they can do in real life. They are learning, communicating, composing, exploring , socializing and expressing themselves in a new and exciting way. Children want to be creative and technologies give them that chance. They want to use what they search and do great things with it, they don't want just to search.Children make a lot of movies with special effects, play various video games which helps to develop their creativity, conference by the Internet, work on a website trying to make people aware of some dangerous or essential things and so on. These stories teach me that for children technology is more than a tool, it is a vital component of everyday life that frames their worldview. The videos highlight the fact that it is necessary to integrate IT into education. As a TEFL professional in Armenia we have to admit technology integration, hold it and take up the role of a facilitator.
Engaging students in the process of technology integration is very significant. This is the new language of the generation. It is impressive that some children possess such technology skills that they can support their teachers and others with technology problems.
People have various ways of getting knowledge. Those who are visual learners prefer to see after their teachers' explanation. Thus they go home and search for it in the Internet and it becomes more comprehensible for them.
So the world is now "flat," according to New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman.
The world Is flat is a brief history of the twenty-first century that analyzes globalization. The title is a metaphor for viewing the world as a level playing field in terms of commerce, where all competitors have an equal opportunity. Employees from one organization are no longer working side-by-side inside the same building. Individuals from anywhere can compete with others from around the world.
What does this mean for education? He refers to ten "flatteners": things that have enabled us to connect with the rest of the world much more easily than ever before. Events such as the fall of the Berlin wall, Netscape going public, and the new world of "technologies on steroids" -- cell phones, wireless devices, always being connected, and so on -- have made our world a new place.
He warns that "what we learn today in school will be outdated by tomorrow” and therefore, the most successful people in the 'flat world' will be those who can adapt and learn quickly. The greater our curiosity and passion for learning, the greater chances we will have for success later in life."
We have the power to make great steps with what we're given. The challenge will be how to take advantage of all this in the educational system, and try to make sure our classrooms are flat.
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