Chapter+4

**__Doug__** Chapter 4 made me realize that I am more a part of the digital generation than I thought I was. Chapters 1-3 gave me a good understanding and some background knowledge on the differences between the different generations, but nothing really hit home until they displayed the differences an a chart form at the beginning of the chapter. I guess I am just more of a visual learner, just like the students I am teaching. It became real easy for me to see the differences between how I was taught, how I teach now, and how I and my students prefer to learn. It made me realize that the way I enjoy learning material is not the way I present it to my students. Hopefully by next year I will have a variety of new tools to implement in the classroom to make it a more visual and digital environment.

Felicia This chapter continues to discuss the differences between the digital generation (21st century generation vs. 20th century). This chapter further details to how the digital generation prefers to learn (which is contradictory to what most educators prefer). Since it is rather obvious that both sides are quite dissimilar, I wonder what will be done to meet the needs of 21st century learners? This is especially problematic in districts that do not have the resources to provide their students with technology. There are so many great online resources that can enhance student learning, such as Compass Learning. This program helps provide students with their own individual learning path and various learning activities. Programs like this are what can enhance student learning in the classroom. I came across an interesting website 21 Foundation-aligning the 21st century learners with 21st century learning. “Our aim is to raise awareness, understanding and the importance of implementing learning that will nurture our 21st century citizens.” 21 Foundation


 * __Adam__**

This chapter was an excellent display of the differences between students in today's learning environment and the teachers who provide said environment. I was especially please to see the quote from Friedman's //The World is Flat// because I cannot agree more. I remember back in 2007 when I first began our program. In one of the 500 level courses, we watched a video that gave data about technology, and how the world is changing.

Here is the original - Shift Happens

A few months later, it was updated. Several months after that, you guessed it, updated. Currently, from what I've found, there are 5 versions. Here is the latest version, and note that the credits include several of the names we have been learning about throughout our studies in this program (and our classroom text!): Did you know? (adapted from Shift Happens) 5th Version

It is amazing to see how things have changed and been adapted even over the past 5 years. What Prensky notes about teachers needed to make the change and quit being stubborn is dead on. I admit, I was naive enough when I first started teaching a just under 4 years ago to think that I would not have to keep up with all of the technological devices students use today. But seeing how my students fall almost exactly into the chart of differences listed in the chapter, it has become IMPOSSIBLE to not mold my own thinking and teaching styles. I'm becoming more comfortable with technology, and incorporating it into the classroom. I just want to make sure that I don't fall into the trap of having technology and using it just for the sake of having it, and using it, compared to having it and using it for a reason that will help the students learn and achieve more.

Cindy- This chapter leaves us with so much eye-opening topics and facts about the "Digital Generation." Specifically listing in almost an ongoing T-chart comparison of the preferences the digital learner verses what many educators prefer. Their ability to be effective multitaskers having being able to pay attention to several inputs and switch is quite interesting. So, how does this effect the ban on cell phones in Allentown? This idea that digital learners prefer processing pictures, sound color and video before text is understandable just think about what Disney does in their theme parks. Even my church has brought this idea into their contemporary service with video message snibits and Utube correlated to the message of the sermon no wonder the church is full of this generation. Using a lot of visuals in the classroom and being a visual learner myself I can certainly relate to this. However, we are still required to use black white assessments with no color photos.This is like a chef training in France to cook wonderful cuisine and then returning to the states to work in at McDonalds(no disrespect to McDonalds patrons) Lastly, the students' preference for revelance in their learning is so necessary for them because they are surrounded with much information and global opportunities so this is necessary for their successes in the future. []

Jen
This chapter again brings to light the fact that the way we learned is completely different from the way our students learn. It is interesting to watch this change, not only as a teacher, but also as a parent now. I was in observing my daughter's Kindergarten class a few months ago and was lucky enough to see them while they were at the computer lab. I was walking around and noticed that some students were already working with literary concepts that my middle schoolers struggle with. The technology allowed my daughter's teacher to scaffold for each child. While some were working with simple word recognition, others were reading small passages and others were doing work with simple idioms. It was amazing! I truly believe that some teachers just don't know how to implement technology into their curriculum. They can go to workshops upon workshops, but if someone isn't telling them exactly what to do, they won't "waste their time" with it because it will "cut into" their teaching time. We need to constantly remember that our students learn differently and we have to find a way to meet their needs. I found this site and it has a lot of great ideas for the teacher who is struggling with how to begin using technology in a new way. I also found it interesting because this chapter mentioned what we were discussing in class last week. And that is the idea of how youngsters today get constant, immediate feedback from their challenging video games. The one game creator was even quoted as saying that his game is designed so the player has to make a decision "every one-half to one second, and they are rewarded for those efforts every seven to ten seconds" (40). This is amazing, when compared to the average classroom where a student needs to make a "personal decision about once every 25 minutes" (40). No wonder our students are doing that great! We are not requiring them to think on the level that they are accustomed to. I realize that there is no way we can set our classroom up like a game and give reward that often, however, we can set our classroom up in a way that requires them to think more than twice a period. If we set up our classroom where students are required to think critically the majority of the time, then they should be able to do well on standardized tests. It seems that we see our students as slower because they don't react to assignments the way we expect them to and as a result, most teachers make their assignments easier. We are just creating an awful cycle. We need to add the rigor back into every day classroom life because our students can rise to the occasion. If we make what we are teaching relevant to them (which we should be doing anyway), then requiring them to think more about it shouldn't be that much of a stretch. Here is a good article on how to work toward student self-efficacy.

Chapter 4
 * Diane**
 * Everything that was discussed in Chapters 1-3 was repeated in Chapter 4, but in a side-by-side fashion. Perhaps the authors felt the need to recap because of the overwhelming amount of information, or maybe it was done to reinforce their claims. But whatever the purpose may be, I felt somewhat hindered because questions have already been swirling in my mind. Questions such as: How can educators incorporate technology to improve student learning? Is it possible to balance the learning experience of the digital world with traditional literacy? How much room does superabundant technology have on developing (or perhaps hindering) creative thought, critical thinking and analytical skills, and let’s not forget every day interpersonal skills? In hindsight however, judging by the authors’ summarized presentation of their claims in this chapter, I’m assuming the answers may just have to come from within. Here is an interesting article that appeared in the // New York Times // about how parents feel about their children using technology: “Wired Kids, Negligent Parents" **


 * Nick**

Looking at the differences between how today's students learn and how teachers want to teach I could not believe the disparity I was seeing!! I know students today want to learn but they want to learn their way and the teachers want to teach their way. One of the biggest reasons kids today get so easily bored in school is because they are [for the most part] not being taught they want to be taught in their minds. On the flip side teachers feel that students are not learning because they are not following the teacher's plans and instructions the way the teacher feels they should be. What this chapter reveals to us is that this disparity exists between how today's students learn and how teachers have been teaching for the last several years. Students have no limitations in how they can learn so they are used to getting and learning information and skills as quickly as they please because of the abundance of technology at their disposal. Students are not limited to time frames and curriculum as teachers are. Teachers must teach a specified amount of curriculum in a specified amount of time. This is why the information in the tables provided by the authors in chapter 4 are polar opposites. The following link is a brief article on how differing teaching and learning styles impact the effectiveness of student performance as well as how to try and match the two in order for teachers and students to both be successful. [|Connecting teaching to learning]