Celebrating Digital Learning Day

Yesterday we joined over 17,000 teachers, nearly 2 million students, and 38 states in celebrating the first-ever Digital Learning Day—an opportunity to highlight and learn from the exciting ways teachers are utilizing technology to strengthen education in America.

For students to become leaders and innovators, they need the highest quality education the world has to offer. Unfortunately, not enough students are prepared for the jobs of the future. Approximately 25 percent of students fail to graduate on time and only about 25 percent of those who do graduate are fully prepared for college. Technology is being used right now to improve nearly every element of modern life, and these benefits should reach into the classroom. We must ensure that America’s schools are fully utilizing the promise of digital learning to educate our children.

At a time when teachers are being asked to do so much, technology can be a force multiplier and help transform a classroom into a high-tech learning environment. With digital learning, students in rural Iowa can access content on the Web from museums in Houston or national parks in Maine, while connecting with teachers and students across the globe.  Teachers are at the forefront of this movement, using digital technology to enhance their ability to provide students with high-quality learning experiences.

Digital Learning Day shines a spotlight on what‘s already happening in spots  across the country. It’s a day to discover all that is possible when we combine the best our Nation has to offer. Technological innovation in education is central to ensuring lasting U.S. competitiveness, and today recognizes its importance to improving education across the United States, which is central to ensuring an America built to last.

Matt Gaydos is a student volunteer at OSTP