Unique houses have always piqued my interest. There's just something awesome about a home that shrugs off the confines of pragmatism to answer the call of some higher virtue. My love for anything Tolkien related has drawn me to underground, shire-esque house designs (see the above image), and my love for the outdoors has drawn me to open air homes like this one. A home that finds a way to break the mold of what a house "should be" and becomes something connected to the world around it is an inspiring thing.
Likewise, a classroom in which student learning is connected to the world around it is a thing of beauty. Unfortunately, much of what we do in the classroom is insular; we as educators struggle to build the bridge between what students do in the classroom and what happens in the "real world". This issue of transfer of learning is a frustration for teachers and students alike. However, a solution to this problem may come from a source that would surprise many educators today: Technology.
Yes, technology. That greatest foe of the modern educator. Could the internet, that harbinger of doom, really be the key to linking activities in the classroom to applications outside? Could it be that the very cell phones we confiscate from students on a daily basis are the key to making our lessons reach beyond the walls of our classrooms? Current models seem to indicate that the answer is yes! Rather than viewing technology as an obstacle, I, as an educator, can make the choice to use technology as a tool to help my students go further in applying the skills they are developing. These strategies can help better prepare my students for life after high school.
Technology may very well be the key to breaking down the walls of my modern classroom and allowing my students to connect what they learn to the world around them.
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