We Had Tools in Hand, But Who Knew What to Do With Them?

“I am so far out of my comfort zone now, but I will never go back!”

That was the reaction we heard from Jennifer Cashman, a teacher at Edgewood Middle School, when she shared stories about how integrating technology has increased student engagement and amplified student voice in her classroom.

Cashman, a teacher for 10 years, admitted she had been accustomed to being the one in control of all things in her classroom. Now, she’s getting comfortable releasing more control to students as they collaborate on producing tangible products of their learning using a variety of digital tools. As a result, students are exercising greater agency and applying critical thinking skills that extend far beyond just the content standards addressed in the course.