Speaking of Digital Natives...

I was subbing today and I was using the SMART Board, when I was done I allowed the students to come up and show me what they knew about the SMART Board. It was fascinating!! They were teaching me (and LOVED it!). It is so amazing to me that 10 years after I was in 8th grade, they would have all this technology and the students would be so adept. I could never have imagined using things like SMART Boards and ELMO's when I was their age, and now even for me, at 23 years old, it is so foreign and difficult to understand! They even know how to bypass the district's security blocks on the internet and get onto things like Facebook!!

In the article, "Portrait of a Digital Native", Jane Healey says that all the multitasking and digital technologies may be making our kids less about to solve complex problems and less able to focus on one thing. I agree with this. I see kids everyday when I sub that are 'bored' because school is boring. They have to just read, or just write and they want to converse or use the computers. It is a constant battle to have them focus on the task at hand, which many of them can't do because they don't want to have to look for or think about the information, instead they want the answer, immediately!

In the article, "Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants", Marc Prensky explains that while digital natives have been surrounded by technology since they were born, digital immigrants have to learn and most times will turn to a more traditional mode before using the internet or Web 2.0 tools.

I believe that this is a very difficult thing for teachers. There is a gap between them and their students, and if the drive for learning on the part of the teacher is not there, the 'digital native' student will suffer. I believe it can be more difficult for vetern teachers who have taught the 'traditional' way for 10+ years, but if they train and learn they can become just as proficient as their students. I hope that I can find a good balance and make my classroom a place where students can use their skills to succeed! The change from 1.0 to 2.0 needs to happen and will happen. Many schools have already adapted to the changing field. Clarkstown School District in New York has the resources and the students needed to improve their technologies and be on the cutting edge when it comes to using Web 2.0 in the classroom.