We can all agree that people learn best when they are actively engaged in tasks that are meaningful, interesting and challenging to them. The current generation of students in the knowledge economy are well immersed in technology. They access the internet for social networking, shopping, entertainment and information on any topic in mere seconds. These students have been coined the Digital Natives. Those who were not born into the digital world are known as the Digital Immigrants and are just learning to use technology (Prensky, 2001).
The learning needs of the digital natives have changed dramatically to those of the digital immigrants. Today's learner is accustomed to flashy graphics, instant reply, information at their finger tips and continuos socialising with friends on the latest networking sites. With instant access and sensory overload surrounding these digital natives, education needs to transition from teacher-centred, textbooks, exercise pads and primarily individual learning, to tasks that speak the digital language and enable collaborative learning. The impact on the new generation of learners for educators is massive and indicates there needs to be a mergence of the digital language with learning tasks and curriculum.
The learning manager (teacher) is now confronted with the issue of how to engage learners. Students need to be engaged or they will be enraged as Prensky (2005) states it. I agree with this statement completely, learners who are engaged in a lesson are more likely to make learning gains and less likely to misbehave. Just like a television program or movie, students will not engage with a subject if it is not relatable and has no entertainment value for them. Unlike television and movies, students can not change the channel when they become bored with school.
So how can we engage our learners? Simple. We learn to speak their language. Our students are well versed in ICTs (information communication technology), so the key message is to effectively thread the use of ICTs such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, powerpoint presentation, avatars and videoclips throughout learning experiences and engage learners.
References
1) Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Retrieved November 26, 2009, from Marc Prensky.com: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/
2) Prensky, M. (2005) Engage Me or Enrage Me. Retrieved November 26, 2009, from Marc Prensky.com: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/
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Hi Liisa
ReplyDeleteYou present an interesting case. The capabilities enabled through the use of ICTs for learning suit the learning styles of digital natives. Thus, there is evidence to support that their use would be effective in engaging students. However, it is important to remember that these technologies are not a substitute for teachers. Rather, they should be used as a learning aid to enhance students' learning experiences. When used like this they can be very engaging.
Lyneale
Hi Liisa,
ReplyDeleteMaybe some of the learning managers out there can help me with this question. When using ICTs in the classroom are there still some children in whom you can identify learning problems? Perhaps they have problems learning basic technologies, just as some kids in days gone past simply struggled with certain subjects such spelling or punctuation. Are computers something that some kids simply struggle with? Perhaps they cannot connect with the technology or don't have a computer or internet connection at home for whatever reason.
Is the use of ICTs in education increasing the gap between the the high and low performance students? Or is it easier to identify such students and actually use ICTs to help bridge the gap through afterschool or remedial classes? Is there funding for such programs?
Your post raised a lot of questions for me as you can see, just wanted to pick the teachers brains!
cheers
Michele
It is an interesting comment that Technology shouldn't be used as a replacement for teaching but rather as a tool to enhance learning. I recently encountered an interesting paper entitled "TAKING BACK THE LAW SCHOOL CLASSROOM:
ReplyDeleteUSING TECHNOLOGY TO FOSTER ACTIVE STUDENT LEARNING" by Paul Caron and Rafael Gely. They report how Law Schools had seen a huge increase in the use of technology in the classroom with students arriving in class with their laptops. They also draw on the critics who claim that technology is "interfering with, rather than improving, pedagogy in the classroom" (p2). Within their Essay, the writers outline how technology can be used to increase active student learning whilst encouraging students to resist using their laptops at every opportunity.
Reference: TAKING BACK THE LAW SCHOOL CLASSROOM:
USING TECHNOLOGY TO FOSTER ACTIVE STUDENT LEARNING, 2003, Paul L Caron and Rafael Gely. Retrieved from http://www.mhhe.com/cps/docs/CPSWP_TechnologyActiveLearning.pdf
Hi Michele
ReplyDeleteWow you did have alot of questions. I have mainly worked in a Special Needs School this year, so I have seen situations where children have difficulty with technology. It could be the case that the student has an Intellectual Impairment but with persistence and perhaps some assistance in class and at home, can learn how to learn in a Virtual Classroom environment. Activities can be designed specifically for that student and the use of technology makes this easier. You had a question about funding and this website details the funding available for schools www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education. The Federal Government has made strong commitments to providing funding for Professional Development for teachers and equipping Schools with the latest Technology.
Hi liisa
ReplyDeleteI have had a quick look at your blog and found it very interesting and informative and will be back, soon to read on some more engaging articales you have wrote about. good work
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your thought provoking questions! With regards to Michele's question about whether or not technology could be increasing the gap in high and low performance students, I think that technology could quite possibly mask any literacy or numeracy learning difficulties with things like spell check and excel for calculations. This would be one of the issues that a Learning Manager would need to contemplate when choosing specific ICTs during a lesson. But this is as with any assignment or task that is completed on the computer at any age level. Does anyone learn to edit and self correct their work if there are systems in place that will do it for you?
I recall computer class from my primary schooling where we spent one session each week on Mavis Beacon, a touch typing program that was interactive and contained a lot of fun games. Not only did this program teach us all how to touch type (and quite quickly too) it required us to be good at spelling and punctuation even when copying passages of text. Perhaps the answer to technology causing a gap in learner performance is to engage students with programs that focus on literacy and numeracy problems, and that familiarise students with technology and ICT applications.
Emma, I like what you have said about technology impeding learning in the university context. I have frequently sat next to laptop users in lecture theatres who have been thoroughly engaged...but with something on youtube and completely irrelevant to the lecture. It is off putting for surrounding students as there are usually attention grabbing images and graphics appearing on screen all the time. Again I think this comes down to the Learning Manager planning in advance and perhaps setting specific ground rules for the use of technology within the learning environment.
I hope I have answered some questions or in the least contributed some more "food for thought". Thank you for the comments!
Cheers,
Liisa
Thank you very much for this useful article. I like it. how to do division
ReplyDelete