Digital+Citizenship+in+a+Global+Economy

=**Dr. Yong Zhao**=

//University Distinguished Professor, Director, Center for Teaching and Technology, Director US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence at the College of Education at Michigan State University//

**Digital Citizenship in a Global Economy:** **The Internet Revolution and Its Implications For Education**
At the final keynote of the week [|Dr. Yong Zhao] set forth three premises: Technology redefines talents, technology redefines society, and we live in a global economy.


 * //“What talents will be needed to negotiate the new digital technology?”[[image:digiworld.gif width="177" height="129" align="right"]]//**

He said virtual, physical, and national identities are changing. Virtual worlds have blurred the line between fantasy/reality and virtual/real economies. Companies are now multinational and in 5-20 years our students will have to compete for jobs in a global marketplace. Our students are affected by global forces, cultural clashes, and different value systems. We have to accept that today’s machines, while they cannot do everything, can do certain things as well as humans.


 * //[[image:digi.gif width="169" height="356" align="left"]]“What knowledge is of the most worth in the new world?”//**

He agrees with [|Daniel Pink’s] assertion that we are moving from the information age to the conceptual age. He described the qualities that helped one succeed in the information age as left-directed, sequential, literal, functional, textual, and analytical. But automation and abundance are changing that. In contrast, a conceptual age requires right-directed thinking, design, story, empathy and play. We are increasingly living in a digital world.

//**“Are our students being prepared to be leaders in a virtual community?”**//

American students are being urged to study math and science so they can compete in the new global economy. But he asserts they cannot compete with Chinese and Indian mathematicians and scientists who are seven times cheaper to hire. Americans need to find their niche, the things they do well. Traditionally Americans excel at creativity, design, and invention. Yet No Child Left Behind forces schools to substitute more math and science classes for creative and enriching classes such as music and art, which is the exact opposite of what we need. We know people have multiple intelligences and different talents. Our schools, however, only test one talent even though the areas that are not tested might be incredibly useful. A person cannot be simply judged by their score in math or English.


 * //“Redefine talents and academic success.”//**

Dr. Zhao suggests that we analyze what teachers do and separate the different roles they perform. Some of those roles, such as rote instruction, might actually be better done by machines. Send a child to a computer to complete a basic module of instruction but once they have completed that module have them meet individually or in small groups with their teacher for discussion, synthensis, and socialization. He gave an excellent example of how the computer/teacher module for instruction is being used in Chinese language instruction. Have teachers do what they do best and not be overwhelmed by tasks that a machine can handle well. Businesses have always reconfigured their work force to best take advantage of talent and resources. Education rarely does.


 * //“Reimagine education.”//**

Computers present problems that keep us from using them for all the great things they can do. Congress gives money for wireless access but then blocks content. Have schools teach global and online citizenship.

//**“For technology to be useful and powerful you cannot confine it.”**//

Finally, Dr. Zhao said we need to participate in the production as well as the consumption of the digital economy.


 * //“Technology has redefined us. Globalization has redefined us. In a new global world we need to redefine talents and academic success.”//**