The article on Digital Natives/Digital Immigrants is well written and gives fresh insight to a growing concern of mine and other educators. The concern is “how to get the students interested in their school work for more than five minutes?’ Why do they think everything is a game? Why are they more interested in” beating the system” than putting their minds to productive use?
But as the article stressed, we as educators have to learn to speak in the language of the students. We have to change our methodology. But then, people as they get older are resistant to change. The learning curve gets steeper as we get older. How can we switch midstream? It’s bad enough communicating by email, or shopping online without the fear of identity theft and all the goblins of this digital age. How can we react in real-time to problems of politics, ethics, sociology and language.
When we grew up and went to school, it was the “norm” to be the “Sage on the Stage” because that what our teachers and instructors modeled. Information was sought in volumes called encyclopedia and microfilm. Geography textbooks, atlases and dictionaries were updated every three or four years, but now we have switched roles with computers and other digital toys or instruments of learning and we are now relegated to the position as “Guide on the Side”.
How can we as Digital Immigrants learn to speak a language that is rapidly changing? How can we keep up? Where is this all going? Will it ever end or are we to throw up our hands in despair and run for cover? How can we trust our students to guide us? Isn’t this a reversal of roles?
Sunday, May 20, 2007
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3 comments:
People do get used to doing things a certain way. There are plenty of teachers who are still the "sage on stage" because that's the way they have been doing it for the past twenty or thirty years. The point is, it can't continue to be like that.
As far as the students teaching us about technology, so be it. Why not? We shouldn't be afraid of letting them show us a thing or two. It doesn't mean that we still can't teach them, they are just showing us what they know. In my experience, it gives them a sense of accomplishment.
Jillie,
I understand your concern of trust when relying on students. I often wonder if giving them an opportunity to collaborate with the teacher and plan learning activities is the best route to go. It has worked for me in the past with middle school students in my program but I am working with small groups.
Funny thing... I'm ready to impress the kids with gcast...I show them only the homepage...in 30 seconds (while I'm still introducing)- they've opened their own accounts and are calling from the cellphone. Within minutes they are sharing podcasts and critiquing each other. So- I sit back and observe the Digital Natives in their element...learning from them...taking mental notes...then writing tips that I'm going to need for when I update my sample podcast so that I can attempt to "show off " (hee,hee)for my next class or at least an unsuspecting digital immigrant in the building;)
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