Hello World 5-20-2010

Good Day,

The review of Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants by Marc Prensky aids in my understanding of how and why teachers and businesses need to adjust their thinking to the way today's youth receive and process information. It is not really even a choice as it is not a choice as to what race you were born. Digital technology is a tool that our current generation is engaged at the onset of life. Teachers with more experience dismiss some student behavior as inattentive, disrespectful or lazy without considering their experiences. We need to evaluate the most effective ways to get our information to the students in a meaningful and productive plan. We can also learn from them what they need as they share knowledge about technology that is helpful to us. Technology can be implemented in every classroom. (as a side note) If we are able to productively use digital technology and direct students maybe there would be less need to medicate these digital natives.

The Jukes video definitely made me feel more confident about approaching technology in the classroom and with my own children. It was nice to learn that my mental growth concerning technology is not stinted after a certain age. I am able to learn and grow with teenagers. No one ever thought my mother would ever break into digital technology but at age 68 she is texting more than she is talking on the phone. At the age of 93 my grandfather was an avid user of the internet and email. I have more of a positive attitude knowing that I can participate in the technological race without biological obstacles.

The Community of Inquiry model was perhaps the most enlightening of the readings. I already understood some of the differences in the generations but I had not considered the three components of making technology work in the classroom and at home. The student needs to feel comfortable with the technology and the environment needs to be a safe one for a positive social experience. I also realized the facilitator needs to work to ensure the student is working toward bettering social and cognitive skills through reflection and social discourse. A facilitator might assume that youth are aware of how to use technology for education but this is not always the case. This would be like assuming if you put a book in front of them they will know how to use it and learn the content and standards that are valuable to the subject matter. I think we just set them loose with technology sometimes and hope for the best.