AVID and Technology

I've written about AVID and the role that technology plays in the program and the classes.  You can read my thoughts on paper here.

Lately, on the AVID Center Blog, there have been two posts that intrigue me.  The first was a post about paper and pens.  They talk about focus groups and moving towards implementing technology with best practices. You can read that here. There was another about cells phones in classrooms and how we should be embracing technology.  You can read that here.  Today, another post about 21st Century Skills. You can read it here.

I've said it before and I'll say it again and again.
Any program that is preparing students for colleges and careers must send students away from middle school and high school with computer skills.
Talking about 21st Century skills is great.  Having a focus group looking at best practices in classroom technology is wonderful.  Showcasing a few schools that are doing great things with technology is inspirational.

However, while that is happening, you have students right now, in classrooms, not getting technology instruction, not using Web 2.0 tools, and becoming proficient in technology.  AVID's goal is college education for their students.  They target students in the middle, students who already are step behind other demographics.  We do a disservice by sending them out in the world without giving them technology skills.

If I were given the opportunity to make a few changes to AVID, I would move a lot of things to the internet.  I would make technology integration one of the 11 Essentials.  I would ensure that all AVID students were 1:1 with devices in the AVID classroom at the least.

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