Utilized Instructional Strategies

One of the most utilized instructional strategies is making use of the available technology in the classroom. Today’s fast paced, high tech world has changed nearly everything from communication, commerce, and education. This has created a new type of student referred to as a Digital Age Learner, and the way these students think is different from those familiar with the traditional pathway to education. These new learners have required instructional strategies to change to meet the demands of these students. A traditional educational environment tends to hinder Digital Age Learners because traditional instruction does not stimulate all the areas of the brain that these learners require. Digital Age Learners are rewired to receive information

I-Ready is an assessment tool that gages a student’s current skill level then allows instructors to assign tailored lessons to aid students in areas of deficiency. Allowing for easily differentiated, individualized instruction. There are other programs that are Digital Age Learning friendly like Khan Academy, a web based program that provides students with tutorial videos as well as exercises that provide stair-step levels of interventions to assist a student. PowerPoint presentations are a great tool to appeal to visual learners, however making an interactive PowerPoint can also appeal to other learning styles. Digital textbooks are also an amazing way to utilize technology, this allows students to always have access to the text as well as educators to easily modify assignments for individual students. Google Classroom is a program that plays well with other digital instructional materials, acting as a hub where students can view, complete, and turn-in assignments, access additional information provided by the instructor. All of these digital educational resources combine to create an environment that fosters independent learners that take charge of their own education. The addition of these programs opened the traditional educational environment, making it more appealing to Digital Age

Education is not sheltered from this change and has had some growing pains adapting teaching methods to meet the needs of Digital Natives. Science has explained that the induction of digital resources has actually changed the brain composition of Digital Age Learners. As educators it is our responsibility to find the best methods to reach our students and that seems to be through a digitally friendly learning environment, so we must continue to create