This Monday I was looking for a bit of a professional outlet when I stumbled upon #SSChat going on. As a former social studies teacher (who sometimes still identifies himself as one) I quickly joined to be at one again with my brethren. I was generally being a lurker taking in a great chat filled with resources to share with my teaching staff when the last question came up:
Q8 Last question! Students as "digital natives," do you agree they are? Why or why not? #sschat
— Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) October 5, 2015
A8 Students are digital tourists, they still need a guide to get to their destinations IE TEACHERS! #sschat
— Matt McCullough (@mcculloughmg) October 5, 2015
@DiscoveryEd Send me a cut and the phrase is all yours! :) #sschat
— Matt McCullough (@mcculloughmg) October 5, 2015
One way to encourage teachers to be these tour guides is to encourage a focus on skills such as those laid out in the NGSS and the College and Career Bench Marks. Another way to drive this role as a facilitator is to allow students the ability to lay out their own student created assessments and to encourage authentic assessments instead of rote memorization. Letting these tourists of our areas drive the cars as we point out things to consider and ponder. Both of these routes keep the teacher as the guide along the path and allow for students to make the most of their vacation as digital tourists.