Digital technology to improve learning...?

Just before Christmas I had a conversation with a fellow Sports Science lecturer about the lack of 'learning' that we felt was taking place in our lessons. It went something like this: Me: Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Every time I allow them to use a computer to research, they end up wasting the rest of the lesson on youtube, or Facebook, and we get nothing done. Collegue: Well, either that, or you end up with a piece of writing that has been directly copied and pasted from Wikipedia, or some such website. Me: Ive been seriously thinking about rolling out a scheme with one of my classes, whereby we go a whole term without using computers at all, in order to see what impact that has on the learning.... Collegue: Yeah, thats not a bad idea, I might trial a similar thing. Whaaaaaaat?!!!!! After a few soul searching moments, a bit of reading, and the willingness to throw myself head long into this evening class, I have a prediction about what would happen to the learning in the class (thankfully, I had the good sense not to actually trial this). It would grind to a slow and painful halt! I would then probably do a bit of blaming - well, if they cant bloody well read a book and understand it, then theyve got no hope in life, full stop - and then I might have the good sense to rethink said teaching method. Atwell (2007) states that schools are in danger of becoming irrelevant to the day to day social life of young people. I believe this to be true of every generation. While my grandparents were accustomed to drawing letters in a box of sand, and standing with their back to the room donning a dunces hat, this was not an acceptable form of education for my parents, and therefore, education rather than students, had to adapt and move forward. Similarly, the regular canings that may have been acceptable to my parents generation were seen as an unnecessary tool for learning when I went to school (1980's and 1990's), and abolished. Although I dont consider my school education to have been a million years ago, the fact is that the internet was not a daily part of lessons (I think the library may have had internet access, which was occasionally 'dialled up' as a party piece). I acquired my first mobile phone at the tender age of 18. Clearly, times have changed. And we must change with them. My earlier statement about wanting to ban computers in my lessons, comes directly from my experience as a student at school. However, I use digital media, computers, internet, a smart phone, tablets etc in my social life now. I enjoy them, and consider them a relevant and necessary part of my social life. Therefore, where do I get off judging this generation of students, and deciding that this isnt an acceptible medium for learning?! Actually, as a teacher in the digital age, I am in the priviledged position of having a ready audience, eager to feed off the information I can provide. It is just the simple matter of packaging it in a relevant format. So, where am I at right now? Well, I am susceptible to this change. I have come to the depressing conclusion that it is me that needs to adapt, and keep up with the moving times. I must work hard to find a way of building digital technology into my lessons in a way that enhances the educational experience of the learner. While I currently experience frustration while watching my pupils tab away from Facebook as I near them, I should try to channel this into finding a way of incorporating this (and other such social media) into my lessons. Using it in a way that makes the learner feel that I am assessing their needs, and keeping things relevant to THEM, while information that I feel is relevant flashes before their eyes - trickery, if you will. Educational slight of hand. Now all I need is for someone to bring me into the magic circle, and show me how......