The author of a leading blog for educators was in Bentonville on Thursday taking about his brand of school reform.
Will Richardson is the author of the highly ranked Weblogg-ed. He spoke to teachers at Bentonville High School on Thursday about the importance of incorporating technology into learning.
He said the Internet is helping us communicate in ways we wouldn’t have dreamed of ten or 15 years ago.
“That really has implications for our own kids,” Richardson said. “I have a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, and I’m looking at the ways they learn online and how that compares to how they’re learning in the classroom, and there’s a big disconnect right now.”
Richardson writes Wikis, Podcasts and other Web tools for the classroom and teaches educators how to effectively use those technologies.
Judy Marquess, director of instruction and educational technology for the district, invited Richardson to give the keynote address at Thursday’s back-to-school celebration.
“Technology is all around us; it is a 24/7 lifestyle with our students,” Marquess said. “We are fortunate in Bentonville that we have great facilities.”
Bentonville still isn't where Marquess would like it to be in technology access for students.
She said the district is working hard to meet the state’s criteria for the number of students per computer in the classroom.
Richardson was a public school educator for 22 years in New Jersey.