Although teachers have been increasingly incorporating more and more tech into their classrooms, does this really mean that we are in an age of digital literacy and authentic education? According to Ashley Hinck in the article ‘Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom’, we have yet to take the leap away from standardized education. Efforts to create digital literacy within the classroom environment often involves template-based web applications. These applications are useful for getting students antiquated with tech, however, they do not allow for much exploration or creativity.
I believe that in order to have students become truly digitally literate, we need to provide them with the opportunity to explore and create. The elimination of these templates will surely result in some failure, but it is important for students to understand that failure is an essential part in the process of learning. This shift from template-based learning to active exploration will help us to achieve the shift from standardized to authentic education.