Ruth Howard

These young learners are earnestly asking educators and school administrators to unblock currently fire walled learning tools, social networks wikis, blogs and virtual worlds:

• “I know how to memorise.” “Teach me to think.”

• “I know how to recite. “ “Teach me to create.“

• ” We want to talk to the world.”

• “We want to make mistakes and try again.“

• “You dont trust me.” “We are not cheating.” ” We are collaborating.”
  

• “We are not lazy.” “We are bored.“

• “Can you help us?” “Can you unblock it?” “We know you’re afraid.”
  

• “We are different.” “We want you to help us.” ““We want you to understand us.” “We need your guidance.”

• “Step out of the textbook.“  “Out of the testing.“ “Let me show you what I can really do.”

• “Prepare me for my future.” “It said you can come too.” “The future is happening.”

• “Outside of school we are there already.” “We want you to be brave and come with us.”

No Future Left Behind by Peggy Sheehy’s Suffern Middle School (NY) technology students jointly won the Net Generation Education Project competition. Both winners brilliantly demonstrate why banning social media tools is paramount to banning learning engagement.

It’s not the technology that is fire walled but human potential!