Digital Natives

This post is in response to two articles I read about the current generation of students and how we should be teaching them.

     The first article I read on this topic is titled Digital Natives Digital Immigrants and is written by Marc Prensky.  This article was my first introduction to thinking about the current generation as people who speak another language.  At first I thought this was strange and didn't think I would agree with Prensky's view, but as I continued to read, I found that he is on to something. The new generation is the first to grow up with technology at their finger tips and are surrounded by it at all times. While most of us have had to learn how to use technology as we have gotten older, they have grown up knowing how to use it from a very young age.
     I found Prensky's solution to teaching this generation interesting and thought-provoking. He suggests that teachers should create computer games instead of lessons. This sounds really intriguing and engaging for students, but an extensive undertaking for teachers. One aspect that I am not fond of in this teaching model is the amount of time we would be having students work on a computer, staring at a screen. I also am curious what class time would look like in this model. Questions that come to mind are would there be any class discussion, would all lessons be taught through computer games, and would textbooks become obsolete.

     The second article I read is a follow up to the first article. This one discusses the neurological differences between the new generation and other generations as well as provides evidence to support this model of teaching and insight to how to make it effective. I found this article rather interesting. The thought of having computer games be apart of homework is an amazing idea. I know that students spend lots of time watching TV and playing video games on the weekends both because I know other children, and because I do it myself. Having games instead of worksheets could provide a tremendous boost to the percentage of students who complete their homework. I can really only see benefits from transforming homework into games. Especially after learning that these students' brains have developed differently. This model definitely seems like the way teaching should evolve, and I hope that there can be support and knowledge to help get it there.