Teaching with heart in digispace

Abstract

Summary form only given. Digital technology and pace of life are closely related. Our children are living on internet as equals, rich and poor, fat and thin, handsome and plain-looking. We all live in era of “any-“ (-place, -time, -one, -where). Like most things, digital technology can be used for good or for ill, build or destroy. Digital reality offers an environment to be more funny, more courageous, provoking and even more aggressive in comparison to real life. If teachers and parents are not bridging these online environments it can provoke and attract children to behave digitally also in real offline life. “What needs to change about our curriculum when our students have the ability to reach audiences far beyond our classroom walls?” (W. Richardson) What to do when 1/3+ of teens are “texting under the school table”? We must find ways to bridge the social divide between school and education system and childrens digital life, as the mentioned disharmony can be a bigger problem than Internet, Facebooking or gaming addiction. Teachers should to consider that they teach to youngsters who are different from before, in their relationship with knowledge. To teach with heart should encourage face to face learning + self paced learning + online collaborative learning. Social and emotional aspects of learning are on the scene (social skills, self-awareness, managing feelings, motivation, empathy).