21st Century Learner

The 21st-Century Digital Learner

How tech-obsessed iKids would improve our schools.

BY MARC PRENSKY

http://www.edutopia.org/ikids

Marc Prensky wrote an article in edutopia about the 21st Century Learner. He pointed out that when he gives presentations his population is elderly and gray. He thinks this is interesting, unacceptable and dangerous. Prensky wants to teach his thoughts on technology to a younger generation. One way he has been able to do this so far is to bring his own students to the presentations. Bringing together teachers and students at his conferences allows him to show each group that compromises and adjustments can be made to teaching and learning. Three questions he asks his students when they are discussing technology are:

1. What experience in school has really engaged you?
2. How do you use technology in school as opposed to outside of school?
3. What are your pet peeves?


These questions allow him to address both the students individual level of interest and their own particular thoughts on technology. The younger generation, he found, is bored and frustrated in school. They do not feel engaged during instruction time. He noted in his article that one student said "You (the older generation) think of technology as a tool and we (the younger generation) think of it as a foundation." This further demonstrates the difference between each generations thoughts, beliefs and ideas when it comes to technology. One question raised was how do we bridge the gap and start to use technology effectively?


We need to treat the opinions of our students with care. Prensky stated that we need to introduce new methods into our own classrooms. A PowerPoint is as outdated as a blackboard, noted student. We need to immerse ourselves in the possibilities that technology affords. Limiting our personal use of technology is one way that we can lose the attention of our students quickly. Another way is by limiting their use of technology. Allow students to explore and create with technology. Instead of assigning projects limiting our students use of technology, allow them to choose their mode of presentation. If they use a mode of technology that you do not understand, use it as a method to gain experience. By allowing students to have an active voice in the technology discussion they will in turn become active participants of the classroom.

What 21st Century Learning Has Taught Me About Myself

When I was in college and throughout my educational career I have believed in the research supporting different learning modalities. Just recently I became a student again and as I worked my way through my classes I found that the way I understood better was through auditory means. After teaching kindergarten all day and going through the daily routine of raising three kids of my own I found that I was having a hard time getting my own brain to think effectively using modalities other than just reading. Early in this process I was introduced to TED Talks and was very inspired by these great ideas.
After watching a TED Talk my brain seemed to start firing away and my understanding became clearer. I also began to notice that when I listening to the educational pod-casts on topics that we were focusing on each week it would help aid my comprehension. By wearing headphones and forcing myself to stop and listen, I could then go back to the research articles and better comprehend what I had been reading. I have become more of an auditory learner as I have aged. I also need to visually see a model whether they be videos, photos, illustrations, to help in my learning. I now have a better understanding of why we need to employ all of the modalities throughout our instruction.
One reason that my modality may have changed was because of the technological immersion that I experience at Kilby. If the use of technology has changed my way of thinking and learning in just the few years that I've been using it then how does it effect students who have been immersed in technology since birth. Students today have definitely been immersed at early ages and incorporating digital learning throughout the day is necessary to meet their different learning styles and to maintain student engagement.

Illustrations of 21st Century Learning:

Interesting Videos on 21st Century Learners:

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