Getting students tech ready, career ready | Note from the Superintendent

Published 1:30 pm Monday, December 14, 2015

Technology is a vital part of our students’ education. Employers no longer ask if job applicants can use a computer, they ask how many programs they are proficient in. By providing students and teachers with access to interactive classroom technology, Federal Way Public Schools is ensuring every student develops 21st century skills.

Did you know Washington state ranks eighth in the nation for technology careers? This is a great place to be for those who want a career in technology — and for those who don’t.

Regardless of the field they choose, our student-scholars must be adept users of technology to be career ready in the current and future job market.

The challenge for educators and students alike is the rapidly changing nature of technology.

Our teachers need professional development to provide skillful instruction in current technology. Additionally, our staff must prepare students for the changes technology will create in the future.

Consider the development of mobile devices in the past decade. Ten years ago, we had cell phones. We made calls on them.

Today, we have smart phones, and the typical user spends less time making voice calls than they do shopping, paying bills or scanning social media. Social media is now one of our economy’s highest-grossing industries. And, social media didn’t even exist 15 years ago.

The point is, technology has become embedded in every aspect of our lives, and it’s changing by the minute. Experts agree, young people will need to be prepared to re-tool their careers multiple times. They’ll need to operate in a constantly changing environment.

To prepare for this rapidly-changing workplace, we must employ a new kind of instruction.

Experts say our students will need to master 21st century skills, specifically in the areas of global awareness; financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy; civic literacy; health literacy; and environmental literacy.

We also know that our students need career – and community – ready skills in order to adapt to change: communications, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. We call these the four Cs.

The growth in technology has accelerated the need for these skills. It’s also a valuable tool in developing them.

Technology in the classroom allows us to personalize learning in core subjects and enhance instruction, expanding the student’s tech skills and deepening their learning.

With Washington being ranked eighth in the nation for tech careers, Seattle is the fastest growing of the country’s 50 most populous cities because of the technology industry.

For our student-scholars to enjoy the benefits of this vibrant, growing economy, we must make sure they graduate with 21st century skills, including the most in-demand technology skills.

In Federal Way, we are creating future-ready students who are engaged today, and ready for tomorrow.

Tammy Campbell is the superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools.