Hello 'digital immigrants'. The following short presentation really rocked my world the other day! Please watch this to set a context for my comments.
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As a reflective educator and life long student, I often ruminate on generational differences between myself and the 600 students in my wonderful little elementary. One big question we educators like to ponder is whether we are preparing our children for the future. The answer is no, we aren't, because we are always focusing on the content of our curriculum and we cannot imagine the needs of the future as technology and information evolve at a break-neck pace.
My generation is a generation of 'digital immigrants', the students I am teaching are considered 'digital natives'. Our kids truly have never known pre-internet days. Teachers constantly tell me that they turn to their students for assistance with technology. Many teachers are relying on the 'sit and get' method of teaching. I contend that this method is boring our students to tears. While a student myself oh so many years ago, 'multi-tasking' was all the rage. Students have surpassed the ability to multi-task and now are parallel tasking. Learning to our students involves a computer, IM messaging, streaming video, blogging, text messaging and many other forms of digital connection.
Information is easily acquired. It is no longer necessary to memorize the names of all the capitals (a skill Rusty mastered in fifth grade-by the way he can recite them in alphabetical order with their states and then do it again in reverse alphabetical order) or the Preamble to the Constitution (a skill I possess). Is content important? Sure! But I also think teaching children how to evaluate information is important. I think teaching children how to think for themselves is important. I think teaching children the importance of stillness and quiet reflection is equally important.
I am never happy because of the information I know or because I possess the skills to find information. I am happiest when hearing great music, or unexpectedly seeing a deer in the Raleigh urban area (it happened today folks), or when watchiing Caroline fire dance - all decidedly sans-technology. Technology is a great tool to teach, to learn and to entertain, but only when used effectively and when coupled with the appreciation of the simplest joys and quiet stillness...oops, slipping in a sliver of buddhism.
I love the balance achieved by Matt Harding - this young guy quite his job (computer gaming programmer) and travelled the world with friends filming him doing a stupid dance at some of the most interesting locales our planet has to offer. (check out his website: http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/) Yes, it is everyone's dream to do a similar thing...mine involves a motorcycle and travelling the left side of Canada, the US, Mexico, Central and South America...Tierra Del Fuego here I come...but Matt saved some money and he became an official slacker. Well, this caught on of course and the video and website have millions of hits. Matt is continuing to do this but now with corporate sponsorship. The balance comes from a decidedly untechnical dream (dancing badly all over the world) and using technology to accomplish the dream. I'm trying to figure out if this is irony or just interesting.
So, what does it all mean? I don't know my 'digital immigrant' friends, maybe I'll look it up on the web! Feel free to comment.
2 comments:
So when the fundies start blaming the homasekshul for our decline, maybe we should counter with, "So you're saying we should be more like the Godless commies? Or the Socialist Hindus?"
Of course, everyone knows the real answer is more standardized tests.
not only do i know the states in alphabetical order, I can SING them. :)
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