Bull, Glenn [November 2010] 'The Always-Connected Generation'. Leading and Learning with Technology. http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-november.aspx
This article delves into what characterizes the generation of Americans that came of age during the turn of the new millennium (the decade of the 2000s). What makes this generation unique (aka ‘the Millennials’) is our use of technology and how that has changed the way we communicate, acquire and share information, and socialize. Three characteristics in particular are revealing in this generation’s relationship with technology: (1) 80% of all millennials have a wireless communication device with them at all times, (2) most millennials have internet access at all times, and (3) millennials use handheld devices to organize their lives and coordinate social interactions. Millennials now have low-barriers and many avenues to share information and collaborate on the internet as well as participate in social interactions with different that would have been difficult in previous generation. However, the article points out the still existing disparity between the preponderance of technology in young people’s lives and the lack of it in the classroom and education. Teachers and administrators still look at technology (especially personal-use technology) as a hindrance in the classroom and learning process, and the task for future educators is find a way to use and incorporate these young people’s knowledge of technology into their education. From my perspective as a person of this generation, the aspect of this growth of technology in our lives that has affected me the most is the ease-of-access to information in the form of text, video, or pictures that would have been difficult to acquire without computers and the internet. What this has done has broadened my understanding about world affairs and giving me a more balanced point-of-view when it comes to approaching a subject because I now get to read and hear about many different sides of a argument.
This article delves into what characterizes the generation of Americans that came of age during the turn of the new millennium (the decade of the 2000s). What makes this generation unique (aka ‘the Millennials’) is our use of technology and how that has changed the way we communicate, acquire and share information, and socialize. Three characteristics in particular are revealing in this generation’s relationship with technology: (1) 80% of all millennials have a wireless communication device with them at all times, (2) most millennials have internet access at all times, and (3) millennials use handheld devices to organize their lives and coordinate social interactions. Millennials now have low-barriers and many avenues to share information and collaborate on the internet as well as participate in social interactions with different that would have been difficult in previous generation. However, the article points out the still existing disparity between the preponderance of technology in young people’s lives and the lack of it in the classroom and education. Teachers and administrators still look at technology (especially personal-use technology) as a hindrance in the classroom and learning process, and the task for future educators is find a way to use and incorporate these young people’s knowledge of technology into their education. From my perspective as a person of this generation, the aspect of this growth of technology in our lives that has affected me the most is the ease-of-access to information in the form of text, video, or pictures that would have been difficult to acquire without computers and the internet. What this has done has broadened my understanding about world affairs and giving me a more balanced point-of-view when it comes to approaching a subject because I now get to read and hear about many different sides of a argument.
Question 1
Even though young students already know how to conduct internet searches online, and with the way students can easily find the information they need for a project, why is it important nonetheless for students to learn how to how to use the internet within the classroom?
Answer1
Although today’s technology allows students access to an abundance of content, teachers can guide students towards providing context for that content. The amount of information on the internet also means a lot of that information may be superfluous rather than scholarly and teachers can help guide students in their technology use.
Question 2
What aspect of classroom instruction/learning would students/teachers benefit the most from incorporating things such as blogs and social networking?
Answer 2
If students use blogs and social networking to connect with friends outside of class then it could also be used for connecting with classmates, especially as a means for collaboration outside of the classroom. Moreover, class blogs can be used by teachers in lieu of simple syllabuses as a more robust way of presenting the course material and as a way of opening up another way of student-teacher communication.
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