The 21st Century Learner

Having spent the last 4 days with family, at all different ages, I spent some time noticing the different types of literacy's being used.  Almost everyone had some form of technology they brought with them and were using:  computers, phones, ipads, and even little electronic baby games. Not surprising, I know, but what intrigues me, and has for a while, is my cousin.  My cousin has twin boys who are 11 years old.  She and her husband are highly educated people, engaging to talk to, extremely generous, fun, and have a nice life style - ” good people”.  What is unique about them is they do not allow their kids to watch TV, play video games, or have phones.  They don’t want them wasting time on video games and mindless TV shows.  Instead, they have to play board games, or read, or do anything else to entertain themselves.

I am not one to judge how other people raise their kids, as long as they aren’t beating them it’s none of my business, although, I do think it is an inconvenience when we visit them (in San Antonio) and they don’t allow us to turn on the TV to watch the NCAA tournament. :(  As I’ve been doing my readings, and watching videos, I’ve been intrigued when there is mention of the gap there will be between kids like these and the literate kids of the 21^st century.   Now I know there are circumstances where kids just don’t have the opportunity to access to these technologies, I see them in my classroom, but to purposely deny them access is a different thing; maybe my cousin isn’t doing a great service to her kid. I never thought that maybe they will be at a disadvantage because they haven’t played a lot of video games and that things digitally may not come as naturally to them as their peers – their brains may be different.  As the world is changing and making accommodations for this generation, will they be behind?

As I said, I am intrigued.  I have many questions – is this “gap” really going to have a negative impact on these kids, can we “catch up” kids in school who are behind  in technology, perhaps have special classes for this purpose,  how is the message that video games aren’t a waste of time getting communicated to parents?  There are many more and I look forward to finding answers as this class continues.

Popplet for 21st Century Literates.

http://popplet.com/app/#/1115637

Computer Science Education Act

New Bill Introducing Computer Science Education In Elementary and Secondary Schools

Back to School

The 21st Century Learner

Having been born at the end of the baby boom I am a Digital Immigrant.  I just learned that this week - I am not a Digital Native.  I can’t say that I am surprised, or upset since I had never heard the terms before and I kind of knew this already.  All I have to do is look at my children to know they are light years ahead of me when it comes to technology and its use. According to Marc Prensky (2006) “digital natives communicate, share, buy and sell, exchange, create, meet, coordinate, evaluate, game and learn, evolve, search, analyze, report, program, socialize, and grow up differently” than digital immigrants.  Really?  Am I that different from my kids?  I guess it’s time for me to catch up.

Which then makes me go a step further and think about my classroom.  How can I connect with these kids that are so different than me?  Can I connect with these kids who are so different than me?  Do they look at me and just see a dinosaur from the Mesozoic Era and I look at them and see Star Wars?

As the saying goes knowledge is power.  I now know what I am. I can work on that. I can work on bringing my technology skills into the 21^st century.  I don’t think it will be easy, but it can be done.  I want to be part of this new world and I want to be an effective, productive, exciting, part of this world.

So here I am , ideas are welcome!!

References

Prensky, M (2006) The Emerging Online Life Of A Digital Native, “Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning!”  (pp.40-51). St. Paul Minn. Paragon House  

Introduction

June, 25, 2013

Hello!  My name is Natalie Murphy.  I grew up in Fairview, Pennsylvania and then attended Indiana University where I got a degree in Middle School Education. I then moved to Indianapolis where I met my husband.  We have two boys who are 14 and 17 and will attend Westfield High School next year as a freshman and senior.  I am taking this class to renew my teaching license.

I work at Westfield Middle School and this year I will teach reading fluency.  For the last two years I have worked with another teacher teaching reading comprehension.  We have been a great team and are sad to be broken up but this way we will reach more students and we have found that for kids to comprehend what they are reading they need to be fluent readers first.  I love that my school district is willing to acknowledge that there are kids still having problems at this age and not just pass them along.  Reading can be taught!

As part of my class I will be using a computer program call Reading Assistant.  I thought W531 would be a great help to me because beyond checking email and surfing the web a little I don't have much computer knowledge.