Digital Learning Day

The first-ever national Digital Learning Day will be held on February 1, 2012. Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia, made the announcement during an October 12 appearance with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight. On October 13, Gov. Wise released additional details on Digital Learning Day. “Digital Learning Day is more than just a day,” said Wise. “It is about building a digital learning movement that provides teachers with better tools to truly provide a quality education for every child. The use of technology has made nearly everything in modern life more efficient, accessible, richer, and faster. It is hard to imagine modern life without the rapid innovations that have boosted productivity, created jobs, and changed daily life, yet education remains largely untouched by the power of technology in the classroom and particularly in teaching and learning.

“Simply layering on technology alone will not move the education needle very much. Effective technology combined with great teachers and engaged students have the potential to transform the world of learning. The time has come to ensure that every child has access to the engaging experience that comes with powerful teaching and rigorous content available through digital learning. The teachers are here, the technology is everywhere, and the students are ready and able. Now it’s time to put it all together.

“Digital learning erases the line between high tech or high teach. To prepare all students for the global economy, the nation must have both-high tech and high teach. Digital learning gives teachers more opportunities to personalize education, utilize data and content more efficiently, and be more innovative in their teaching to ensure all students meet today’s challenging standards.”