Ostriches are not Effective Educators: Thriving in the Digital Age of Education

by Joseph Smith

Overview

In Ostriches Are Not Effective Educators, a veteran teacher and education innovator delivers a powerful, evidence-based exploration of how technology-especially smartphones and artificial intelligence-is transforming the modern classroom. Drawing on nearly three decades of frontline experience, the author exposes the irony of education systems that ban the very tools shaping students' lives, likening such avoidance to the "ostrich effect" of ignoring uncomfortable realities.

This timely book unpacks the neurocognitive effects of digital immersion, from shortened attention spans and dopamine-driven distraction to the rise of visual learning and the challenges of academic integrity in the AI era. Through vivid classroom anecdotes, cutting-edge research, and actionable strategies, readers discover how educators can move beyond outdated bans and reactive policies to foster digital literacy, self-regulation, and ethical technology use.

Chapters offer practical guidance on redesigning lessons for fragmented attention, leveraging AI for personalized learning, and supporting student motivation in a culture of instant gratification. The book also addresses equity concerns, mental health, and the urgent need for professional development in AI literacy.

Ostriches Are Not Effective Educators is an essential resource for teachers, school leaders, and policymakers ready to face the digital future with curiosity, courage, and compassion-preparing students not for the world of yesterday, but for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798317699567
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	06/27/2025
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.42(d)

About the Author

If you’re searching for the rare intersection of history buff, tech enthusiast, and classroom ringmaster, look no further than Joseph Smith. Despite his ordinary moniker, Smith’s teaching career is anything but generic: he’s a nationally certified educator, history enthusiast, and technology pioneer who has managed to stand out in a world full of Smiths—no small feat, considering he’s probably not even the only Joseph Smith in his own ZIP code. With a teaching career spanning more than a quarter century, Joseph has wrangled everyone from high school sophomores to corporate trainees—sometimes with nothing but a whiteboard marker and a well-timed meme. Whether he’s launching student podcasts, shepherding new teachers, or convincing teenagers that primary sources are cooler than TikTok, Joseph brings energy, innovation, and a dash of dry wit to every lesson. When he’s not plotting the next great classroom adventure, you might find him collaborating with local historians, designing new curricula with a cup of strong coffee and a stack of student essays.