Let the lament begin. The book in print is dead . . . slain by advances in technology.

Rue the state of modern education. The contemporary teacher is almost obsolete . . . undermined by the digital world and gradually replaced by such things as Smart Boards, computer programs, and Power Point.

The question is raised by many: How can the modern educator grab the attention of today's youth who have been raised in a digital world of dazzling lights and computer games? How can the black and white medium of Gutenberg's print compete with the bells and whistles of modern technology? Can pages and pages of words compete with flashing images? Has not the explosion of technology in the past decade completely shaken the bastions of traditional education?

These, of course, are leading questions, and the spontaneous answer points to a resounding yes -- educators are being challenged in ways never before imagined. But before teachers are ushered to an early grave by the encroachments of technology, I argue that the very phenomenon that is about to destroy education in its present form is the very salvation that will resurrect and resuscitate it for generations to come.

This perceived onslaught from technology is simply education's newest challenge in an always-changing world. Cutting-edge teachers throughout the United States are using these electronic marvels in increasingly beneficial ways. The evidence is compelling.

At a basic level, innovative teachers use films of literary masterpieces to connect students to works that a generation ago they would have read independently. Reading skills are strengthened by considering such elements as shot, angle, camera movement, lighting, voice inflection, and editing. Establishing the connections between film and literature enables the teacher to enhance a student's understanding of those subtleties within literature that do not meet the student's eye upon a first reading. When taking the student to the text, the literature often becomes so alive that previously suppressed attitudes toward reading become reawakened.

Transitioning into such technologies as Web 2.0, Audacity, Blackboard, and Hypertext Preprocessor, teachers are using a new array of vehicles for students to research, write, and share ideas. Easy-to-use applications -- blogs, Wikis, and podcasts -- offer classes opportunities to publish student pieces online and to critique individual work, all the while enhancing the goals, practices, and techniques of literature instruction.

Classes employing recording and editing techniques in podcasts develop collaborative learning techniques, which in the end expand close reading skills with a real sense of connection to what they are producing. Forced to consider audience, purpose, mood, perspective, and figurative language, students become engaged in ways that do not always occur when writing the traditional 500-word theme.

Online portfolios and group discussions using blogs further implement a forum for students to develop and verbalize their ideas and create serious reflection as they interact with one another. Particularly for less assertive students in larger classes, these blogs foster real opportunities for the teacher to present interesting topics or tough questions for the entire class to examine. Equally as important, the more reticent students have new avenues through which to express themselves.

Wikis developed by classes on books they have studied engage students in very purposeful assignments. An interesting result of such projects is the cross-curricular learning that takes place. Through examining the meaning of literary terms or unknown references in a work, the students are exposed to elements of geography, history, art, and science among other disciplines. Their analysis is then posted on the Internet, and students are able to "chat" with others from around the world. As they respond to these questions and comments, their learning becomes relevant in a globally diverse context. This certainly models the real-life learning they will encounter in their 21st-century world.

Cyber learning also dictates that students must become strong in the logical fallacies and persuasion devices so as not to be a victim of nefarious schemes or appeals. These obstacles, perhaps different from those in previous generations, are now the norm. It is not that students have taken a step backward -- they simply are adapting to this challenging environment in new ways.

Likewise, teachers continue to respond to these changes, too. Digital video projects weave together still images, videos, and audio tracks in ways that help students "block" units of thought. E-texts, another way to present literary texts, are creating an enhanced desire to read books because of the excitement for ideas generated through blogs. In essence, for every problem one may think is created by technology, a whole new set of opportunities is emerging to engage students and to further their love for learning.

Let the lamentations cease. The contemporary, innovative teacher is using various digital devices in ways that are supplementing the traditional, old-school approaches to education. The Gutenberg book lives. The monster that has supposedly slain the print world is actually responsible for its rebirth -- thanks to ingenious teachers and inquisitive students throughout the country!
Lewis P. Lawson has taught English at Collegiate School for 36 years. Contact him at llawson@collegiate-va.org.