Why Digital Learning Day Mattered

On February 17, we celebrated Digital Learning Day.

Why should you care?

Because more than half of all high school students are bringing their smart phones to class today…and that is a statistic released by Education Week three years ago!

In 2015, according to Nielsen Research, the number of teens aged 13 to 17 who OWNED a smart phone was nearly 60 percent. The number of apps Apple reports as being dedicated to and used by students is 150,000. Some of these are for elementary students learning their colors, their ABCs or how to read “The Little Engine that Could”.

So here’s what you, the parent or grandparent, need to know - smart phones are part of every student’s learning experience these days and are being used more and more as a teaching tool in the classroom; more so than a pencil or a whiteboard. In fact, probably more than any of those tools we’re familiar with, i.e. the ones that AREN’T electronic.

The good news is that many Georgia students are already ahead of the curve. We have three completely online public charter schools, and the one I proudly serve as Executive Director is Georgia Connections Academy. Our high school students in fact score the highest compared to their peers on college entrance exams.

This is exciting because we have nearly 4000 students in grades K-12 and I’m determined to make Georgia Connections Academy one of the highest performing charter schools in our state.

Now back to why you should care it’s Digital Learning Day on Feb. 17. Here are a few of the reasons…

• Students learn in a way they are most comfortable. Smart phones, computers, and tablets are “young-person intuitive.”

• Students can get answers quickly. In some situations, a student may not ask for clarification to a question he or she has in an open classroom. Use of a smart phone, computer, or tablet in a classroom setting can provide those answers.

• Audio and video can bring learning to life. Smart phones, computers, and tablets can put a voice to John F. Kennedy, a dramatic video image to the Hindenburg disaster, and allow students to hear the music of Chopin or Al Jolson.

• Access to educational apps. Students (and teachers) love supplements to traditional instruction.

• Smartphones, computers, and tablets allow for social learning. These tools allow students to work in groups on projects, sharing information and discoveries.

Let me also say a word about the economics of educating our children. Technology investments are expensive, especially given that new devices are likely to become obsolete in a few years. When students are allowed to bring their own devices—a laptop, a tablet, a smart phone-- to school, the district can direct money towards other technological advancements, such as the acquisition of interactive whiteboards and allowing access points to the technology all over the school campus.

At Georgia Connections Academy, we are proud to be a pioneering school that is helping to make our state more connected. It is a requisite to competing in today’s global world economy.

Digital Learning Day, is an opportunity for those of us who grew up in a different style of classroom to recognize that things are changing and the prevalence of student-owned devices in the classroom will continue to grow. We should all make it our priority as educators, parents and grandparents to make sure it is a positive influence on our children’s academic performance and school experience.

Yours truly,
Heather Robinson
Executive Director, Georgia Connections Academy