EdTech Leader Shares Views on What’s Important Today

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Susan Brooks-Young discusses technology in the classroom Susan Brooks-Young is a tech thought leader and consultant who currently sits on the advisory board of the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC). She has had her finger on the pulse of technology in the classroom for a long time and has some of the best insights into the present and future of EdTech.

I recently asked about her current focus when it comes to integrating technology into education. “There are three things I’m focusing on right now,” she said. “The first one is leveraging the use of mobile technology in classrooms in ways that enable students to create content rather than consume. It means taking advantage of cameras, different kinds of apps and other tools that allow kids to create a product that’s theirs and not something somebody else made for them.”

“The second one is the need for adults and students to be able to differentiate between fact and fiction in media. We have not done a good job with that. I’m working with some folks in different areas on how to go about doing that.”

“The third is digital citizenship. It’s a different animal now than it was even five years ago. It’s not just ‘Keep your password safe and don’t go to bad sites’ anymore. It’s things like ‘avoid engaging in public shaming online’ and ‘think about your online persona.’ What does that look like beyond hiding who you are? It also includes student data privacy and teaching adults and kids how to protect that.”

Those in the EdTech industry and education would do well to listen to what Susan has to say. She clearly knows what she is talking about.

About Susan Brooks-Young

Susan Brooks-Young has been involved in the field of instructional technology since early in her career. One of the original technology users in the district where she taught, Susan continues to explore ways in which technology can be used to facilitate student learning.

Prior to establishing her own consulting firm, Susan was a teacher, site administrator, and technology specialist in a county office of education in a career that spanned more than 23 years in both public and private education. She has published hundreds of articles in a variety of education journals and is also the author of a number of books which focus on effective use of technology in schools.

Susan works with educators internationally, focusing on practical technology-based strategies for personal productivity and effective technology implementation in classrooms. EdTech leadership, mobile technologies, BYOD programs, digital literacy skills, and educator/student well-being are areas of particular interest for her.

Follow Susan Brooks-Young on Twitter.

Author

1. EdTech Magazine – FETC 2018: 5 Tips to Protect Personally Identifiable Information in Schools
2. edCircuit – Sir Ken Rocks FETC in Orlando
3. Chicago Evening Post – FETC 2018 Expands Learning Opportunities and Solution Providers