No Turing
Back; Regardless of Our Age
It makes
sense to me that some, not all kids in 2019 may have more expertise, knowledge,
and flexibility with technology. I agree with what Boyd stated, in that teens
in 2019 are more digitally inclined than not, however, I believe because the
ever evolving development of technology, in that it is forever changing, we all
remain learners. Because of this, "digital natives" are also still
learning the ropes. I realize it may
take me a bit longer to pick up on a piece of technology than those more hands
on and I may even be reluctant to use some pieces of it because it may
overwhelm me, but if it is something that will make my life easier, or make my
students’ learning more adaptable then I will press myself into learning more
about it. I guess it’s all about the demand of what is needed. Here is a link to help educators come around to incorporating technology into their classroom. (Technology to Support Learning)
As far as
keeping focused while using technology, let’s face it, we all “get lost” on the
internet. It’s like we’re squirrels; indecisive
with so many options. As a responsible adult, I know I can get “lost” while
searching on the web, and that is with discipline and focus, for the most part.
Now let’s talk about a teenager, or soon to be teenager, with regards to their
attention span and impulse. Constant
reminders to remain on task, restate the purpose of what the task at hand is
(what Lesley did for us today during our activity), and frequent check-ins may
be needed for even the most diligent student.
Because of this, I believe that being a digital native does not make
them more responsible, just more comfortable (possibly) and more willing to try
new apps, new social media, new games, new technological anything. Here is a link to help stay focused while on the internet. (How to Actually Stop Wasting Time On The Internet)
Lastly, I
disagree that all kids in this day
and age should be considered, digital native, because they are, “‘native
speakers’ of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet,”
as Marc Prensky stated. From personal experience, I know that some
students know more about technology than others, while at times, I may have
been the one with more knowledge, although not often. I believe this is due to
the fact that some students have more opportunities than others to refine and
practice their technology skills and knowledge.
This may be due to economic affordances, while others, because of what
they have access to, may have more of a diverse skill base and knowledge. Concerns about making learning equal to all can be found here. (How Teachers Can Provide Equal Learning in a World of Unequal Access)
As a
parent, I am in awe of how my kids use certain features in social media. I've
learned some things along the way and I have been guided and taught as well,
but to say I feel as comfortable as my children using social media would be a
lie. Onward and onward; there’s no
turning back.
One thing I thought about when reading your blog is how important it is to teach students internet savvy skills. Though many are able to adapt to new technologies quite quickly, they don't always understand the systems the technology is a part of. As an example, I discussed with students about how, theoretically, their Instagram apps can access their phone's camera, call log, texts, photos and more at any moment, all because they said they agree to the terms of agreement when they made their accounts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both you and Christian I think teaching kids about digital safety and how technology is connected is extremely important. I also agree that not all children have the same level of knowledge and experience with using technology and the idea of being a digital native is not entirely based on age.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this. My son is too young to have his own phone, but when he manages to get his paws on one of ours, he's reluctant to it go. Right now, he has no idea how it works, but it won't be long till he has just enough knowledge to exploit some of its features. My hope is he can either take a real interest in it and learn coding, or that his mom and I can keep his usage of it down to some bare minimum.
ReplyDelete