♦ Staff Editorial ♦

Keyboards replace pencils, iPads replace binders and USB drives replace file folders.

In a new era of technology, education is no longer what it once was.

New programs, such as District 203’s Digital Learning Initiative, are transforming the way we learn. The one-to-one initiative will allow Naperville North to stay competitive among national and international high schools.

According to Education Week Online, countries that have consistently topped the world’s best educational systems, such as South Korea, China, and Britain, have also made efforts to ensure that all students have the resources and knowledge to efficiently use technology in school.

Last year, the US education system failed to rank within the top 20 nations for reading, math and science. And since 2003, the scores have remained largely unchanged, according to NPR. In this desperate game of catch-up, we’re falling farther and farther behind. And during this time, school districts across the nation have been implementing the one-to-one initiative.

Though the US is lagging behind its competitors in terms of integrating 21st century skills within the classroom, it boasts unparalleled potential. Our country spends more money on education than any other developed nation. According to “The Huffington Post,” on average school districts in the United States invested more $12,000 on each high school student in the public education system in 2013.

Our resources could help us cover lost ground. A survey by Dell indicates how the use of educational technology in the US compares to that in China. According to “The Huffington Post’s” overview of the survey, Chinese students are more likely to bring their own devices to school and are 30 percent more likely to believe that their teachers are technologically savvier than they are. District 203 must meet the same standards.

With technology integrated into the curriculum, NNHS can be seen as the training ground for a student’s dream job. Today, almost every position in the workforce requires technological prowess. As technology evolves, it has become increasingly crucial for students to build a strong enough foundation in order to keep up. Now, District 203 students can develop valuable technological skills, which would allow them to interact with their peers and teachers like never before.

Students would no longer need to hide their phones under their desks to Google information. Instead, they could pull open their Chromebook to research theorems, statistics and biographies immediately. With such instant feedback, students could enrich classroom discussions and learn valuable technological skills. They’ll be ready for college, where more than half of recent graduates reported using a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer during class in a Pew Research Center poll.

Next year, the transition will be met with cringes. There’s something sentimental, something wholesome about holding a pencil between your fingers and taking notes on the crisp pages of a spiral notebook. But all too often, sentimentality prevents progress.

Though this change may not be easy, it is inevitable. District 203’s implementation of the Digital Learning Initiative would modernize education and place Naperville students on par with technological advancements at the local, state and global level.