Digital Natives

Digital natives are students today who have only known the world that includes smart phones, PCs, Google, IM, social networking and such. Getting information from books is almost a foreign concept; their primary source of information is from some digital device. The challenge for today’s teacher of digital natives is to be able to adapt and think of ways to use the latest technology teaching subjects like logic, mathematics, geography, etc.  Designing a curriculum where the primary source of information and learning is through a digital device is a hard concept and daunting idea for many digital immigrants whose only use technology as a second or third choices for information. Digital native learn better from processed that are random and visually let them explore, like many games.

The technology used when I was in school was prehistoric be today’s standards, we used slide rules instead of calculators. We had things called film strips that were premade series of slides with an audio background. We only used chalk boards, no white boards or overhead projectors. Children today might find it novel and cool for about five minutes before being totally tuned out and bored to death.

Digital immigrants like me must become proficient with smart board in order to create lessons that are dynamic and will keep students interests. We should use embrace creating lessons in a game format, and design project that require the use of technology with a purpose.

Reflections about 21st Century Learners

List five common themes, concepts, or ideas you observed when watching the videos.

• Today's learners are required to adapt to change. 
• Kids in school today are making pod casts and use blogs for communicating their ideas.
• Today students have embraced using text messaging, IM and blogs as a form of communication and are much more proficient at them than the adults in their lives.
• In order to engage students in school, current technologies should be welcomed in the class room.
• The old way of teaching is not the way to prepare 21st Century learners for their futures.

What is meant by 21st century skills?

• These are the skills that allow a student to create and problem solve. They could include engineering and design software on project. Using Blogs and pod cast for sharing information with other students and teachers.

Why are 21st century skills important for today's learners?

• Students today want to learn how to think and create. Teaching methods have to shift from stressing the absorption of volumes of factual data and measuring students by their ability to recall it, to one where teachers provide and encourage the use of new technologies as an aid for critical thinking.

What is the role of technology with regard to 21st century skills?

• Technology will enable web based, colabortive learning. Student could work on project and share information with other students all over the world.

Reflection: List three questions or ideas you have related to 21st century skills.

• What will it take for current teachers to learn and accept the needs of 21st Century learners?
• Will there be a need for a physical classroom in the future?
• Will educational technology evolve to the point that implants in our heads will replace the need for external devices? Should we go that far in our embracing technology?