Prezi Reflections

There were many effective uses of presentation demonstrated in our last class period. For me the most effective presenters used captivating pictures that supported their topic, clear and concise text, as well as being comfortable and familiar with their topic. The ineffective presentations for me included little or no pictures, poor use of text, and lack of color and artistic creativity.

One of the presentations that stood out to me was Becca’s, I liked her use of visuals, her video, and her rap song. I felt like this was a well-thought out and prepared presentation. I also felt like Dok’s pictures did a nice job of representing his topic but and also brought some appropriate humor into the presentation

After viewing everyone else’s presentations, I can see specific ways that I could have improved my own Prezi. Prior to the presentation I did not clearly understand that the Prezi was to do the main job of presenting and I was suppose to act as an aid to what was being shown. I think I did mine in the exact opposite way and if I were to redo it I would definitely have a lot less text and more pictures that showed and explained in detail what I wanted to teach. I could have been much more creative with having video and pictures “teach for me”, instead of taking the approach of a more traditional, old-school presentation.

Even though I do not feel like I used Prezi to it’s best advantage, I did enjoy using it and figuring out at a basic level how to create a presentation. I think one of the benefits Prezi offers teachers is it’s ability to incorporate the use of pictures, music, and media to entertain students and hopefully give them a better understanding of the subject. The biggest con of Prezi for me right now is that I am still a beginner and it takes more time to sit down and create a Prezi than doing a normal lecture.

I don’t think that there is a “best” way of presenting, for me it is whatever is most suited to the subject you are teaching at the moment and what format is going to be most effective for your students. That said, I do see myself using Prezi in the my future classroom because I personally enjoyed the creative side of designing the presentation and think that it does allow you more innovation than simply speaking from a lectern. I will use Prezi again because I think it allows you to reach your students using a more entertaining method. By communicating with them in a more current mode, they will possibly have more access and a deeper understanding of the topic being taught.

YA prezi!

I really enjoyed watching everyone in class present in a informal relaxed environment. I really liked Becca's Prezi on the water cycle. Prezi was perfect for that topic because it went in a cycle. Way to go Becca. I also liked watching the videos. Some videos were more informative than others but they helped grab my attention. I really liked listening to Stephanie's sound clip . Hearing the sound clip in the poem further interested me in poetry. The visual pictures were great! I particularly liked the presentations that were mostly pictures and the presenter shared on the subject. Saying that, I also thought that Beau's presentation the words on the screen were extremely helpful. The presentation helped the topic seem more interesting and practical. Thanks Beau! Using lots of pictures, videos, music, and bullet points were the most effective teaching strategies I witnessed.
The least engaging presentations I saw were ones with a lot of words. Another problem that I had in my presentation was wrong color scheme, with words and background. Pictures that didn't necessarily further the topic or were a stretch to relate to the topic wasn't effective. A picture just to have a picture, distracts me unless I understand its relevance. To avoid or improve picture choice one could not have a slide or stop for every point. It is also easy to cut back on the amount of words on the screen. Overall though, I didn't see too many distracting presentations.
My presentation needs 100% improvement. First I would use PowerPoint because that is a program I am comfortable with. If I did stick with Prezi, I wouldn't have it zoom as much. I would ask the class what they thought of when they think of Oregon, then I would show pictures of common ideas. I would also have a map of the US on the presentation to show were in the US is Oregon. I would have less going on. Lastly I would double check it multiple times to make sure it was working.
I think occasionally PowerPoint/Prezi could be useful in teaching but for the most part I don't like it. I feel like it takes away from class interaction and I end up focusing on the board, not the class. For pictures, or maps I think it is great. I don't like when it is the back bone of the lesson. It may be very good for visual learners but it also may distract others from the actual lesson also. I liked how Kurt used his presentation to give an example of the presentation he is expecting from his students. I do think that sometimes it could be useful but personally I don't like it.
The best way I think to deliver a lesson is either through story telling, hands on or discussions. Through any of these methods I could include a PowerPoint but I wouldn't rely on the PowerPoint. I doubt that I will use presentations very often to deliver a lesson. It was very time consuming the create the Prezi and I do not think the positive effects from it were worth the time. I like lessons to be more personal and I think PowerPoint/Prezi take away from the personal atmosphere.
After writing this reflection I realize I am being very negative which is not my goal. I think that Prezi/PowerPoint could work for some but for me it was very confusing and frustrating. Hopefully I will continue to practice with the programs and be able to utilize them in a very effective way in my classroom. I really enjoyed watching everyone's presentations!

Reflection on Presentations...

I found the hands-on work with the Prezi to be particularly valuable. I feel like I may have spent an inordinate amount of time tinkering with it over the weekend when compared to the technical prowess of my actual product, but it was definitely time well spent in terms of learning to work with Prezi. Seeing everyone else’s presentations was also incredibly useful, as there were things I learned from their use of Prezi that I will certainly incorporate as I go forward.

As I reflect on the overall assignment now that it’s done, I feel like my main commentary is going to be on the expectation of our outcomes and the way that was communicated. I feel as if learning to use either Prezi or Smartboard (or to practice with Powerpoint) was the main goal of this particular assignment, and I really felt like the rubric communicated this desired outcome, but in the end, it seems that the true expectation was to actually teach a viable lesson in our content area. Had that been expressed clearly in the rubric, I think I would have (and perhaps others would have, too) reconsidered my topic, my presentation, and maybe even the way I set up my Prezi stops.

I think when we get to the nuts and bolts of the technology that we’ll be using in the classroom (as we did with this presentation) our individual skill levels become more apparent, and honestly, I think this is probably the toughest part of teaching a technology class, as you have some students who are not as familiar or comfortable with the various tools we’re learning to use, you have many of us in the middle ground (where we might be more comfortable trying things out, but are not fully skilled), and then you have some advanced students who have clearly already mastered the use of and the construction of a presentation like this that incorporates various types of technology.

In reflecting upon our individual presentations, I thought everyone did a reasonably good job selecting a topic in their own content area, and transmitting their relevant information effectively to us in their presentations. There were obviously some glitches that didn’t get worked out, but again, we’re still very much in the learning phase of using the technology here. I know that giving a simple “good job” isn’t really offering constructive criticism, but for a first presentation using something that most (or maybe all) of us had never before seen or used before this, everyone did a commendable job. I feel much more prepared now to get up and use something other than Powerpoint in front of a class, and I’m really very satisfied with having learned about Prezi and having used it to do this presentation.

Our Prezi and Powerpoint Presentations- Becca

By Rebecca Shook

            We all presented our own subject matter for the first time using PowerPoint and Prezi presentations.  I really liked seeing everyone present their content and thought the topics that everyone chose were all very interesting in their own right.  As far as the technology used to present these topics, I really liked the winding around of the Prezi’s! It kept me engaged and I always wanted to know where it was going to go next.  The videos, I thought, were the best part of everyone’s presentations because they were unique and brought forth some of the personality of the individuals in our group, which I though was fun!

            I don’t think that using new technology is the best idea when presenting content to the class.  I thought there were a lot of technical difficulties that distracted from the presentations and I thought that some of the topics just did not mesh well with the Prezi format.  I liked seeing everyone present using this new technology, but I feel that we were all so worried about using it for the first time, that it took away from the flow of our presentations.  We weren’t able to use the teaching strategies that we have been learning in other classes because we were preoccupied with the board, what slide we were on and having to be ready to push the button to move the presentation to the next step.  It was our first time teaching our own content, and the first time, for most of us, using unfamiliar technology.  In fact, aside from using color well, I don’t remember anyone using any teaching strategies except for Shannon questioning the class about the state of Oregon and Beau giving us handouts. 

            After seeing everyone’s presentations, I would improve my presentation by not focusing so much on the Prezi, but instead focusing more on the actual content I am teaching to the class.  I thought my Prezi, through the use of pictures, video, and defining key processes in the water cycle, spoke for itself, and that was not the goal of this presentation.  The goal of the presentation was to use Prezi as a backdrop to the presentation of the content.  We weren’t presenting the Prezi, we were presenting the topic and that is where I went wrong.  I thought that for my topic, the format of Prezi worked well.  Next time I present this topic I will slow down, go into more detail and get the students involved!  Also, having a clicker or someone moving the presentation forward for me might be useful so I can move around the room more.

            I think I will enjoy using prezi as a presentation method once I am more familiar with it and the proper way to incorporate it into my content.  It can add a nice visual perspective to a presentation and make learning more exciting.  On the downside, it is not made for all topics and technical difficulties can really take away from precious learning time.  Having a back-up plan when using technology would always be helpful in the event that difficulties arise!  I am not extremely familiar with the ways students can get involved, but I think there is a way to navigate a prezi so if you click on a picture it will transport you to whatever is hidden there.  You may be able to get the kids involved by having them choose where they want to go on in the prezi, or what they want to learn about first, kind of like a choose your own adventure!

            After this project I don’t believe there is one good way to present lecture material.  I believe it is dependent on the topic being taught, the teacher who is teaching, and the students receiving the information.  Prezi, Smartboard, and PowerPoint are all great ways to present information to students in their own ways.  I hope to become familiar with all the different ways to back up my lectures, and would love to be able to choose from them depending on the topic I am teaching.  I believe that using technology to present information, if done right, is a really effective way to help present information, especially in this day and age!

Beau's Presentation Post.

I enjoyed the different topics my fellow Oranges came up with (I am beginning to see trends in what the presenters present on; Shannon likes dancing, Bethany likes acting, and Morgan is really concerned about stress). The presentations were a little hard to watch because all the technical difficulties. But this is to be expected when using technology for the first time. Hopefully the next time we use these new technologies we will have fixed the glitches.

Difficulties aside, there were lots of really cool presentations. My favorite was Becca’s presentation of “The Water Cycle”. I appreciated how she had the cycle as the overarching structure that we moved along as we learned. I think her material fit the medium nicely and helped me realize a better way of using Prezi (and the rap song was awesome too, I would love to hear what that guy has to say about plate tectonics).

After seeing the other presentations and getting a feel for Prezi I realize that it probably was not the best way for me to present my topic. If I had it to do over I would choose a topic with more images like “The Life of John Barth” or something like that. As it stands, it took me all of Saturday to figure out the technology and so I 'm glad I chose Prezi over Smartboard. Twenty minutes would have been an insufficient amount of time to learn how to adequately use the Smartboard.

I will definitely use Prezi in my classroom. It is a fascinating way to present information. I really like the non-linear, image-driven feel. In language arts it could be a great way to present the life of the author or the historical setting of the story we are reading.

Presentation Styles

Though I did not enjoy giving yet another presentation (not to say that I dont like presenting, but I'm ready to get more into the TEACHING rather than the lecture aspect of it), I did enjoy getting a little bit of insight into everyone's subject content.  It brought me back to high school a little bit when we would briefly touch on a certain topic, and then move on to a new subject.

Some of the best things I saw during the presentations was the willingness to experiment with new formats. With the exception of myself and Jon, I think everyone else used a presentation mode (prezi) that they had never used before.  I also enjoyed the incorporation of video clips into the presentations, as they were used effectively to emphasis certain aspects of the presentations. I really enjoyed Becca's presentation on the water cycle, particularly how it was broken down step-by-step, which made it very easy to learn.  I also enjoyed the way Stephanie used the different examples to display how much of a wide variety her topic had to offer.

One thing that I did not think was very effective was the use of audio clips in our presentations, I think only Stephanie used her's effectively, and it seemed like everyone else threw one in to satisfy the assignment.  I think if the topic would benefit from an audio clip then it should have been required and included, but many subjects were forced to add an audio clip when it was not beneficial to their presentation at all.

After viewing everyone else's presentations, I would improve my presentation by spending more time on treating and preventing stress, rather than on what stress is and its effects.  I think the audience would have benefited more by learning in-depth about what they could treat or prevent stress.  The next time I would do this project I would probably choose a different subject to present on.

I really enjoy using powerpoint to present information because it provides visual information while you are lecturing.  I like how simple it is to add text, video, audio, ect, which makes it the most likely candidate for use in the future.  I dont see myself using Prezi or the Smartboard format because I like the linear direction that powerpoint provides, as well as the simplicity of putting a presentation together.  Since I already know how to put together a powerpoint well, I dont see myself wanting to discover a new mode of presentation.  However, the big drawback with using powerpoint is that is does not allow for much student interaction...it is solely a lecture tool.

After doing this project, I believe the best way (for me) to present a lecture is using powerpoint.  I think the more multi-media I can include in the powerpoint, the more effective the overall lecture will be.  Powerpoint provides the structure that I am looking for in a presentation tool.  I think I would probably use it a couple times a week in each class.  Since it is linear, it would allow you to stop at a certain spot, and pick right back up where you left off in your next class; and though the class might drift off topic, slides would quickly bring us back on task.  Powerpoint can also be used in segments throughout a class, not necessarily lecturing the whole class.  You can introduce a topic, then get into an activity, then go back to powerpoint to introduce a new topic.  In general, I think the format that powerpoint presents is the most effective, it is the simplest to put together, and I already have experience using it; so it is difficult to see myself using a different lecture aid than powerpoint.

Presentations of Technological Genius

Well friends, we said our pieces and we showed our prowess on the presentation formats we chose and crafted to serve our distinct purposes. What do we have to show for it?
I noticed how difficult it was to step out of the bullet point style usage. We so often use these mediums as magnified handouts that state the information that we are also saying out loud. Sometimes this is affective and other times it's a snooze button.
I feel like prezi has a little more versatility than we all completely understand quite yet. It is interactive and the perspectives have the ability to be more engaging than your standard slide show.
I must admit, this is the first time I've ever even attempted a presentation with any sort of media that wasn't hand made... I was a fine arts major in undergrad. It was hard for me to interact with the tech part of the presentation and still get to the meat of my lesson. I found myself talking too vaguely and being distracted by whether or not my presentation was on the right target along it's path for the stuff I wanted to say with it.
After trying it out I have made some slight modifications and additions to my prezi that will hopefully make it a little more cohesive and user-friendly for myself the presenter and subsequently more interesting and engaging to the potential audience. I added some more reference images that flow in a direction of thought that I left out of today's presentation due to distraction. Also I modified to order and orientation of a couple of points in the attempt to make it more complete as a companion to the lecture part.
I enjoy the medium and I would like to get better at navigating its form and function. I can see it being useful in warming students up for a more hands-on in-depth activity or making a memorable lesson out of something that is important but cannot be directly interacted with. There is potential for humor and entertainment as well as focus and direct visual reference. Continued practice is where it's at. I can see the merit of it's use in the classroom... Becca's rap song is still going through my sub-conscious. :)

Social "Not"working

Social networks, such as facebook and twitter, have made an already grey area even denser. TSPC standards require us to maintain an "appropriate professional student-teacher relationship" (584-020-0035, 1, c). This is difficult because we want to know our students so that we can optimize their learning, but where is the line? Much of it is left up for interpretation. Some parents or faculty members may view a relationship to one extreme, while others view the same relationship as healthy and ethical. I think the burst of technology in this generation is advantageous in some regards, but for the time being it creates more problems for teachers. Until there clear guidelines can be established, the grey area is going to thicken like a dense fog and make it impossible to do much of anything. Too many "professionals" have a poor sense of professional judgement, making it difficult for those of us who understand how to properly use new media.

With that being said, I also see the more practical, and advantageous, uses of social networks. The job of the educator is to understand which methods are appropriate for both the topic/activity and the age-group. Twitter can be an effective method for producing a running dialog, but I believe it is more suitable for college students than, say, freshman or sophomores in high school. In a course at Penn State - University Park, two instructors allowed their students to post tweets during class. Keeping a watch on the feed, the professors found they could learn what "interested [their students] or puzzled them...getting a read on what concepts needed further explanation" (Zax, 2009). This experiment proved highly beneficial for the professors, but solely because the students showed their curiosities. I think that younger students would be much more distracted and the conversation would be less focused on academics. However, there is always the option of setting rules/guidelines for the twitter feed as well, especially if it is a list specific for the class.

In regards to facebook, it is easier to initiate and maintain an academic level. Creating events as reminders for big projects and starting a group are two great ways to utilize something students are already familiar with. Why try to teach them new knowledge to produce results that previous knowledge can already produce? Groups are also great because they allow for running dialog between students that other students may have as well, which can be posed to the instructor or other students. Also, any field trips or class activities with photos can be posted (with parent/guardian permission) for the students to enjoy. Nonetheless, as with all things, the educator must be careful to maintain a professional relationship...

In her article Facebook: The New Classroom Commons? (2010), Harriet Schwartz cites an article published eight years before Facebook was created defines a commons as "a place where the diverse parts of a community could come together and hold a conversation" (Common Fire, 1996) and Facebook has clearly taken that role. Students post on each other's walls for everyone to see, read, "like" or comment on. Such an entwined existence is bound to create problems - which will be discussed further down - but it is also a great means for educating. It allows for the classroom to go home with students. Discussions that normally would be cut off by the bell can now continue online rather than simply ending. It also allows for less vocal students to offer their insights and opinions in a way they are comfortable with.

Such an involved relationship with students can cause problems for educators, who are already held to a higher standard than other professions. One facet of our job is to be a model for students of moral behavior and so those photos from that one college party need to be locked up. They may be great memories, and may have been ten years ago, but the fact is that we are models for these kids. For some, we may be the only model they have. It is very easy to set up privacy settings limiting what your students can and cannot see on your profile, even if you DO accept their friend request. However, perhaps the easiest method (and what I intend to do) is to not accept their friend requests as long as they are your student. You are more than welcome to be their friend once they have graduated and the relationship dynamics are shifted.

One area that is difficult to control is content on someone else's website, either private or public, that can be "googled". For Tamara Hoover, she lost her job because of this. She had done a nude photo shoot, conducted by her partner, in a professional and artistic manner. The photos themselves were artistic, but this goes back to the issue of interpretation. Firing her was drastic, but I also understand how the rumor-mill that all schools are would create some issues and distractions (most likely with male students). This also ties into the argument of professional judgement. The article does not say whether the photo shoot took place while Hoover was an active educator or not, but that would certainly play a role in determining the necessary disciplinary actions. In the case of the "bloody MySpace page" (Carter, Foulger & Ewbank, 2008), it is our job as mandatory reporters to go through our proper channels and procedures to ensure that our students receive any help they may be needing. The reality is that if we are going to bring the classroom home for our students, then we are held accountable for anything requiring our professional reaction(s) that may arise; including cyber-bullying...

If I intend to use social media in my classroom, then the potentiality of cyber-bullying to occur is very much present. As a mandatory reporter it is my job to be on the lookout for bullying and to report it. I am having a difficult time determining what is over-stepping my "jurisdiction" so to speak. If cyber-bullying occurs on a page I have set up for the class, then I will take the necessary actions because I consider that to be no different than if the comment had taken place in class. However, if I am online and happen across a belittling comment by a student on another student's page, am I obligated to report it? I feel like that is crossing into the realm of personal lives and that I should not act on it. Nonetheless, whether the posts occur on an academic profile or a personal one, I can use (or allude to) the posts as examples of bullying and teach what is appropriate for posting online. Often times students will not even realize they are bullying, and, on a different note, won't realize that posting their phone number onto Facebook is a bad idea.

All in all, media has a few holes that need plugging and grey areas in need of clarification, but, when used properly, can be highly effective for both students and educators alike.

Social Networking- Rebecca Shook

Social Networking and Cyber-bullying

Rebecca Shook

            In the article, Have you Googled Your Teacher Lately? Teachers’ Use of Social Networking Sites, social networking sites are defined as “interactive websites designed to build online communities for individuals who have something in common- an interest in a hobby- a topic or an organization- and a simple desire to communicate across physical boundaries with other interested people” (Carter, Foulger, Ewbank).   Networking sites are being used more and more by teachers in schools as a means to communicate with their students by allowing discussions to take place inside and outside of the classroom.  While these sites offer teachers advantages by increasing the amount of interaction and communication between themselves and students, enhancing instruction, and allowing quieter students to become more vocal, it also presents issues for teachers.  More and more, teachers are getting in trouble for having inappropriate photos or references on their personal sites and because they are allowing students to see these photos or references, they are getting in trouble for it.  “Venting about personal frustrations at work has also caused problems” (Carter, Foulger, Ewbank).  High school English teacher Natalie Munroe got suspended from her job because she vented about her frustrations with students in a personal blog that was viewed by a student or parent. Carter, Foulger and Ewbank write, “As communities have viewed what they consider to be inappropriate information on an increasing number of teachers’ social network spaces, judgments have been made, and a range of consequences have been experienced” (Carter, Foulger, Ewbank).   Although social networking sites allow teachers a better understanding of their students, it is important for teachers to take care in how they present themselves on these sites because there are a lot of ways for things to get misinterpreted or seen as unprofessional which in turn could ruin a teachers’ career. 

            “Our society has always been interested in the actions of teachers beyond the classroom walls” (Carter, Foulger, Ewbank).  Teachers are held to very high standards in respect to behaviors inside and outside of the school environment.  I think that professionals as a whole should be held to these high standards, but that it is especially important for teachers because teachers help mold the minds of the future and need to practice what they preach.  Teachers should be responsible with how they portray themselves and take precautions when using social networking sites.  Making special pages to use at school that still let the students get a feel for their teacher, while keeping the personal life of the teacher private is a good way to get the best out of social networking sites.  Once a person starts their journey into becoming a teacher it would be wise to erase anything from their personal sites that could be misinterpreted or misunderstood or set their account to private to keep students from seeing it.  As long as teachers are responsible and aware of the issues that may arise from incorporating social networking sites into their classrooms, I think that both students and teachers a like can come away with positive experiences.

            A really big issue that can also play a role in the use of social networking sites in the classroom is cyber-bullying.  In the article, Online Bullies Pull Schools into the Frey, Hoffman defines cyber-bullying as, “willfull and repeated harm inflicted through phones and computers” (2010, p. 1).  If not monitored closely, social networking sites used in the classroom can turn from an innocent conversation about personal hygiene in a health class to devastating vote for the smelliest kid in class.  Teachers must take special care when running these sites to teach students digital responsibility and cyber-etiquette.  It is a teacher’s responsibility to make sure that the environment in which their students are learning in is safe for everyone.  If there is a possibility of a discussion on the classroom site escalating into bullying, it is the teacher’s job to stop it before it has a chance to progress.  I definitely believe that teachers and schools in general should help monitor and punish students who are bullying their peers regardless of if it is in a physical way, a verbal way or over the internet.

Social Networking

After reading several articles on social networking in relation to education, I recognize the value of using social networking to communicate with students for course related communication. However, I do not know if I would classify that value as a “great advantage”. An advantage in some aspects, yes, but not one that comes without great complications and adds more work to a teacher’s already heavy load.

In Harriet L. Schwartz’s article “Facebook: the new classroom commons?” she shares her own experience as a teacher that uses Facebook, twitter and she even goes so far as to be accessible via text messaging for her students. She goes on to elaborate about the convenience of social networking and how it has strengthened her relationships with her students, finally settling on the validity of using social networking as an additional platform for teaching. She concludes, “So perhaps for students, Facebook truly is an extension of the classroom in which all kinds of connections take place, some routine and some substantial.”

Drawing from our Character course, “being human” and building personal relationship counts for a lot with high school students. Yet, after spending eight hours a day with students I think I am going to want to limit my after-hours interactions and maintain a level of privacy. I think Stephanie makes an excellent point in her post stating that students if given the chance, could invade your private life and as a teacher you could run the risk of “…spend[ing] my evenings and weekends answering questions as they pop onto my Facebook screen”.

If I were to employ social networking in all of it’s glory, I would definitely want to take some severe precautions, such as setting up a class-only Facebook group just as we have for our Orange Cohort group. This of course would give me much more control and the ability to monitor comments. I can imagine myself utilizing this source in my future classrooms as a means to remind students of due-dates and assessments and clarify information, but for me that’s where I feel the line needs to be drawn. I agree with Shannon’s post that states, “Face to face conversations will happen with students regardless of technology. Teachers need appropriate boundaries with their students”. I am much more interested in having a real relationship with students as opposed to cultivating a cyber dialogue.

As far as teachers being held to a different standard in regards to social networking, I mostly cannot believe the stupidity demonstrated by some of the teachers in the articles we read. Accepting students as friends and then complaining about their bad behavior online or engaging in lewd interactions with them is a lack of common sense and is just begging for outside attention and discipline (Have you googled your teacher lately?). Natalie Munroe should have used better professional judgment if she wanted to blog about the stressful realities of being a teacher, or at least published the blog under another name without her picture. It isn’t as if these teachers did not know the professional expectations of TSPC beforehand.

Just as teachers need to use the “golden rule” if you will, in regards to students, I believe that every kid deserves the right to have schools be a safe and secure place free from cyber-bullying from peers. As a teacher I will certainly be on the lookout for bullying of all types at my school, I think that we have the power to regulate and minimize what occurs and it is sad to me that so many teachers have ignored problems, citing that the bullying occurred off-campus so they do not feel it is their responsibility. Unfortunately, it is our responsibility. As we are learning in our Character course, teachers are responsible for teaching morals and life-skills, which include being a kind human who does not berate others, to the point in some cases, where several students have commit suicide. So while some critics might think being made fun of is only a rite of passage, with the multiplying new mediums of how one can bully, I will be on the lookout to make sure my classroom is the most secure environment that it can possibly be.

The Social Networking Pickle

Here it is: Social Networking. For some the access is in the palm of their hands for others there is limited exposure and the significance of the intent slides up and down a scale of intensity. For the middle school classroom I see the presence being a given. Perhaps not all students will be on a network like facebook but they will all know about it. The realities of the networking system certainly hold potential threats like bullying and frivolity but I see the advantages of the medium when it comes to checking in with students who may not be as comfortable with speaking up in class. For me it doesn't pose a greater issue to implement a networking service for classroom discussion but more of a guidance forum. These kids will be using networks independent of the classroom model but if I can provide and model appropriate guidance and promote awareness of content implications while having a viable sounding board for class topics and discussions I believe that using this technology could be advantageous to all involved... including parents.

For use in the classroom I would implement something very basic, like a specially made facebook page for classroom topics only, or a blog site of it's like. The site would be monitored regularly by myself and kids would know the rules of conduct. I think that this could really be a helpful and fun tool to use in the classroom. As far as having a sounding-board for student or teacher complaints, like the Munroe case, that has no place on our classroom site.

Certainly by using this system there is a threat for "cyber-bullying." I believe that the likely hood of it is not as high due to the heavy monitoring and student understanding of it's implications on a class-related site. The subject will be addressed with students from the outset of the projects implementation and re-addressed continually throughout the school year. It will be a constant process of community building in and out of the classroom. As a monitor of the site I will be vigilantly on the lookout for any signs of misuse and I also think that parents consent and co-monitoring should factor into the process.

Social Networking and Our Classrooms

The world of social networking has both pros and cons in terms of its value and impact on education, just as it has pros and cons in its overall impact on society. The only real upside I can see to having social networking as a communication device in classrooms is that it allows students who may not otherwise come forward with questions to reach out to teachers and peers and interact that way. It can give students a feeling of community with their peers in class (according to the incredibly prescient text from 1996 that was referenced in the article “Facebook—The New Classroom Commons?”, “we find ourselves ambivalent inhabitants of a new global commons.” So make no mistake: while we may find a Facebook group to be a shabby imposter of a real community, for our students, this is the ultimate symbol of belonging.) However, the distraction posed by a social networking site like Facebook is a negative; curbing side conversations in class, intercepting notes, and physically separating chatty students in class is enough work without adding in the extreme drama of the online world to the mix.

My personal feeling is that I will be better served in a middle school classroom by limiting the amount of social networking I incorporate in my teaching. I understand that it is an integral part of students’ lives, but I disagree with the article “Social Media in the Classroom” that puts forth a need to start talking about it with kindergarteners. I’m finding that for myself, as a parent, it’s a very fine line between holding your child back technologically and dumping them headfirst into the cesspool of the Internet. Because of that, I would be very leery of stepping on the toes of parents of very young children as they may not wish to have social media be a part of their six-year old’s lexicon. But as I intend to work with middle schoolers, I think approaching the use of social networking in class with caution is advisable. Since, according to the “Social Media in the Classroom” article, children under thirteen shouldn’t even be on Facebook, I would aim for the highest level of information-sharing possible without crossing any boundaries, and I would set up a website that would allow students and parents to download and access important links or information. They could contact my by phone or email, and then I wouldn’t spend my evenings and weekends answering questions as they pop onto my Facebook screen.

To that end, I think there IS a level of inappropriateness in the amount of access students have to their teachers today. I went to school in a time where we had no email, so unless it was during the school day, or you happened to live near your teacher and could work up the nerve to go knock on his or her door with a question, then you basically had to make do with the time you had with them in class. And, believe it or not, I survived and thrived in school without being able to text them on a weekend or Facebook them at 10 p.m. the night before a test. Not only does so much interaction take away from your personal life as a teacher, but I think it does edge into a gray area with students. Many of them don’t know how or when to draw the line, and the over-familiarity can certainly get you into some trouble as an educator. And truly, in working with children, we are and SHOULD BE held to a higher standard. It’s our responsibility to mitigate situations where we put our own reputations on the line and where our students could potentially be put into situations that could be misconstrued.

As for Twitter, I think the merits mentioned in “Learning in 140 Character Bites” were largely skewed toward lecture-type college-level courses, and in that regard they were compelling—but not for middle or high school. I see no reason why in a room of 28 students, I can’t ask for a show of hands or call for questions rather than having them log into Twitter and send me their questions right there on the spot. Though I barely use it, I’ve been on Twitter for a few years and still am not thoroughly convinced of its usefulness, so I’d have to see some pretty hard evidence for bringing yet another social networking system on board with a gaggle of easily-distracted teens.

Bullying in any form is part of the job when working with adolescents, so I think I will definitely be on the lookout for signs of cyberbullying between students. In the article “Online Bullying Pulls Schools into the Fray”, the 7^th grade counselor at the middle school in question said that she spends about three-fourths of her time mediating and handling situations that stem from cyberbullying and texting. I think this loops back directly to the statement from the teen in the same article who said “It’s easier to fight online, because you feel more brave and in control…On Facebook, you can be as mean as you want.” As educators, there’s no way we can ignore this; to do so would be as good as admitting defeat and letting the inmates run the asylum. Those attitudes, petty arguments, fearless sniping, and mean-spirited attacks WILL impact the classroom, and will certainly affect the overall sense of community in a school. If our job as teachers is to ultimately be successful at teaching a blend of appropriate content and instilling values, morals, and ethics, then we need to roll up our sleeves and start adding appropriate online behavior, cyberbullying, and empathy for others to our long list of things to teach. To write such intervention off as “not our job” is to ignore the biggest 21^st century foe we have to creating a successful, safe, nurturing environment for our students to learn in.

On Facebook and Teaching

I agree with Renee Ramig’s claim that kids need to be taught how to use social network in a safe and responsible manner. That while in elementary school a teacher should guide them through the strange public/private cyber word. But thankfully I, being a high school language arts teacher, will not be the one who does it.

My relationship with technology will change some when I assume the role of student-teacher. For one, I will no longer be a member of the Facebook community. It’s that I don’t enjoy the immediate connection to everyone I have ever seen. The reason I am going to cancel my account is so that I don’t have to constantly monitor my profile or explain to students or parents why I have not accepted their friend request. Also, my status as a mandatory report would put me in the position of making lots of judgment calls about how serious to take students updates. And what if some of my female students posted scandalous pictures of themselves? You can’t unsee what you have seen or unlearn what you’ve learned.

If I were to stay on Facebook I would probably end up deleting all my friends, pictures, and tightening up the security on my profile. Deleting all my friends and photos might sound extreme but I would only want the students to see me as “teacher” and not Nicholas’ friend from college or Devin’s ex-roommate. If I were to stay on Facebook I would implement Harriet L. Schwartz advice, only engaging students when they first engaged me.

Even though I am opting out of Facebook I recognize the need for digital hall monitors and digital mentors. Cyber-bullying is a huge problem and one that will only get worst until some sort of law is put into effect that clarifies where the authority of the school ends. For now, a teacher or administrator will have to be resourceful in trying to come up with solutions for each individual case. Teachers and districts need to circle the wagon and talk about innovative ways of deterring cyber-bullying. A strong online presence by teachers might prevent students from cyber-bullying on Facebook or Twitter but there is no great way to slow down the texting faction.

Social Networking offers a whole host of advantages and as teachers if we decide we are going to participate or utilize social networking it is important that we remember the standard we are held to. I think it is good that teachers are held to a high standard. I have no problem with Natalie Monroe losing her job. Whether or not she put their names the way she talked about her students is inexcusable. I believe that teaching is an important profession and so teachers should face intense scrutiny.

Social Networking in the Classroom

The advantages of using social network tools in classrooms greatly outweighs the issues it may cause.  Though many of the problems produced by social networks can be detrimental to a child's learning, they can also be eliminated, or at least limited if ground rules are in place and enforced.  Just like in a normal classroom environment, if rules are not imposed and followed, chaos will inevitably occur. Harriet Schwartz suggests that "Facebook truly is an extension of the classroom in which all kinds of connections take place, some routine and some substantial."  Though you may only reach students in a limited way, that connection is likely more than what the student would have experienced in a traditional classroom.  Using facebook in the classroom can not only be a great way to teach children material, but also how to represent themselves in a social environment in a positive way as well.

If I were to incorporate a social network into my teaching repertoire (I am definitely planning on it), the first precaution I would take is to create a professional account that will only be used for classroom-related activities.  Schwartz would agree, saying: "In my experience, students appreciate my accessibility and without question respect my boundaries."  Just as we create a professional e-mail and phone number, we should also do the same for social networks.  If we ask students to not cross certain boundaries, I find it difficult to believe they would not stand by those boundaries that are established.  This is a simple solution that eliminates many issues that commonly result from combining teaching with social networking.  With social networking being so popular today, when teachers decide against implementing it in their classroom, they are giving up one of their most effective tools: "As we have become firmly rooted in the technology tools of the 21st century social networking has evolved to be an integral part of our reality" (Carter, 682).

When it comes to holding teachers to higher standards than other professionals, not only do I agree that it does happen, but I also believe it should happen as well!  Outside of a child's parents, often teachers are their next largest influence.  I do not know a single person who aims at emulating an accountant or teller at a bank.  No disrespect to those professionals (or any other type for that matter), but when it comes to a child's life, those who influence them the most need to be held in the highest regard.  Those who choose to enter the profession of teaching should not only accept that responsibility, but desire it.

To be honest, the first time I even heard the term "cyber-bullying" was in this class.  I have had such a positive experience with online networking that I didn't even consider the alternative.  When I read that about 1 out of 5 middle schoolers have been affected by it I was shocked!  When something potentially harmful is so prevalent in classrooms, we have no choice but to be aware of it, and do our best to limit it as much as we can. I am hoping to eliminate (or at least limit) the potential for cyber-bullying in my classroom.  If rules are implemented and upheld, I dont envision cyber-bullying being much of an issue.  However, if it does occur, I am not afraid intervene; I would much rather be blamed for being too proactive about abuse, than to be on the other side, indifferent to an issue that may be causing harm.  If I am accused of being too proactive in protecting my students then that is something I can live with.

Teachers and Facebook

Social networking makes me feel old school and traditional, but then again maybe I am. I understand how social networking for teachers can be beneficial but in my opinion it is detrimental when overused or used at all. Although Harriet L. Schwatz understands that, "the array of contact points made possible by various technologies can be seen as annoying and intrusive or full of possibility." I disagree with her argument that of possibility. She argues that using Facebook, text or other technology with boundaries keeps a teacher's "metaphorical office door open" in order to increase the potential for face to face conversations. In my opinion the boundary with students and teachers should be no social networking except for e-mails. Face to face conversations will happen with students regardless of technology. Teachers need appropriate boundaries with their students. Teachers have professional standards to uphold and social networking outside of school infringes on those standards.

Although I do not think that Teachers and students should use social networking outside of school it is "the reality of the world we live in, and schools should reflect this reality. We need to help students become effective communicators offline as well as online" (Ramig). Using network sites in the classroom and school are a wonderful, safe and healthy way to teach students appropriate online communication and boundaries. With the guidance of the teacher the online networking can be used to teach life skills on cyber- bullying and what is appropriate and should or should not be shared. I students will have a healthier concept of personal privacy online if as educators we teach them this in the classroom.

Teaching students appropriate ways to act and treat people online is just as crucial as teaching students how to act on the playground or in the classroom. Educators fight bullying at school, they also must fight it online. "One 2010 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center, an organization founded by two criminologist who defined bullying as "willful and repeated harm" inflicted through phones and computers, said 1 in 5 middle school students had been affected (Hoffman)." This is horrible! The alarming part is that I wouldn't be surprised if the number was actually higher. I believe that as educators we must tackle this issue with our students. The question is how? I hope that teachers and educators are determined to fight cyberbullying. No child deserves to be treated poorly by peers inside school or out.

The digital world opens up a whole new area for schools and teachers to incorporate in their classrooms. The truth is our students are living among technology, social networking and an array of digital access. Just as we as teachers act appropriately in person with our students we also must online. Just as we as teachers teach our students how to treat people in person we also must teach them how to treat people online. If the students are not taught what is appropriate how will they know that they are hurting people or crossing boundaries. Social networking can be used to benefit many things but I am afraid that in school it causes more harm than good.

After reading the Marc Prensky articles, I believe my initial reaction of disbelief to all of the statistics he poses, speaks loudly of my digital heritage. “Nuh-huh, his stats have to be waaaaay off; 200, 000 emails and only 5,000 hours of book reading!?! That can’t be right.” (2001, p. 1). But then I recalled my boyfriend’s ten-year old niece who has the same smart phone that he does, and who recently spent a family vacation texting for the better portion of the entire trip. Alright, so maybe I do need to reconsider the real difference between Digital Natives and myself, a Digital Immigrant.

Although I define myself as a Digital Immigrant, I have to recognize that I am in somewhat of a middle space between the land of the Natives and the Immigrants. I, like Shannon posted, “have never thought to send a URL to my roommates.” However, contrary to what Prensky states are the habits of Digital Immigrants, the Internet is the first thing I turn to when I am looking for information, and I rarely touch a manual for directions (2001, p. 2). I also strongly resonate with John’s post describing his sentiments when working with his father. I have often found myself in a similar situation with my own parents, impatient and annoyed by their need to go step-by-step, then usually having to ask me the same questions a couple of weeks later. As a result of these discrepancies between Prensky’s description of Immigrants and the reality of who I am and knowing many others like myself-Stephanie and Beau, in our class alone, I find myself wondering how much of Prensky’s viewpoints are broad generalizations?

Prensky’s articles are filled with sweeping statements such as, “Digital Natives [are] accustomed to the twitch-speed, multitasking, random-access, graphics first, active connected, fun, fantasy, quick-payoff world” and implies that all students on the earth today are indeed Digital Natives (2001, p. 5). While his articles are backed with strong statistics and I do completely recognize the validity and importance of having technology in schools today, I do not swallow all of his Kool-Aid.

What about the students who are here, in Portland, Oregon? There are many parents in this city and others that are still encouraging their children to be “hands-on, minds-on learners”. As opposed to having kids open their mouths and pouring education-games down their throats in a manner that’s palatable to the kid’s who are part of what I believe is a “couch-potato” culture. To me Prensky’s facts represent a primarily urban and high SES demographic. I guess that shows my strong personal bias and places me squarely in the land of the Digital Immigrants. I can’t help but oppose Prensky’s viewpoint that it is only because education games thus far have been “badly designed” that they’ve failed (2001, p. 5). I think they’ve failed because they are not the most effective way to teach.

However, for all my differences with Prensky, I do believe he has hit the nail on the head when he says that we have a problem with kids being bored in school. To my mind, the action then calls for teachers to creatively find ways to develop their students’ curiosity, to find unique ways to light up the parts of the brain that have been dulled by sitting in front of the T.V. and computer for too long. Take a biology class for example, to combat boredom a teacher could arrange for a large portion of the class to be held outside, working in a stream, or working directly with live animals. If part of the creative solution includes technology, that’s fine, but I do not think we need technology to be the center of our educational universe.

I strongly agree with Michael’s compelling statement that franticly rushing to instantly gratify and entertain children “would [only] create a world of selfish, impatient, and petulant people”. These articles were very thought provoking to me because they mined some huge societal issues far beyond technology in schools; for me the main problem that underlies all of the articles is the issue of how some children are being raised in our current generations. I see their boredom, impatience, and expectation for constant entertainment as the real problem, one that we should try to tackle with honest explanations, not just slap a technological Band-Aid on and call it good.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On The Horizon (Vol. 9, No. 5).

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: part II: do they really think differently? On The Horizon (Vol. 9, No. 6).

Prensky, M. Engage me or enrage me: what today's learners demand. Educause Sep. 2005: 60- 64.

Digital Culture

I am hands down a digital immigrant. My friends often tell me that I am stuck in the 90’s because I stopped understanding and using most technology after 1999. My cell phone is the simplest basic phone on the market. When I pull it out of my pocket people literally laugh at it. The only reason I have an iPod is because it was given to me as a gift. I didn’t start using it until 2 years after I received it. I love super Nintendo and N64 but I am overwhelmed with any other game console. Prensky explains different examples that express digital immigrant accents. For example, “bringing people physic ally into your office to see an interesting website (rather than sending them the URL). This is a perfect example of my accent because I have never thought to send a URL to my roommates. I always make them come into my room to see the website. I am a digital immigrant that as a teacher must adjust to my new digital culture.

I have not had much experience with technology in the classroom as a learner. For this reason of little exposure to technology in my learning I understand why I may think or act differently about new technology than another student who was exposed. Prensky says, “We now know that brains that undergo different developmental experiences develop differently, and that people who undergo different inputs from the culture that surrounds them think differently. And while we haven’t yet directly observed Digital Natives’ brains to see whether they are physically different (such as musicians’ appear to be) the indirect evidence for this is extremely strong.” I would agree with Prensky that digital native and digital immigrants’ brains have developed differently and therefore must be taught differently. The only difference of my High School and College technology was the fact that in college I could e-mail my professors assignments. In High School everything had to be printed out. It helped me a lot, being able to email assignments or projects. I plan on incorporating technology in my classroom as a teacher.

Even though technology is foreign or a little frightening to me, I understand the importance of it in today’s society. It is a vital part of everyday. If I did not incorporate it into my classroom, I would be hindering my students from practical life applications. Students must be engaged in the classroom for solid learning to be accomplished. Technology is one great way to engage them. Prensky writes “we have to find how to present our curricula in ways that engage our students— not just to create new “lesson plans,” not even just to put the curriculum online.” If I do not engage the students in a creative way they will be enraged. I am willing to learn new technology in order to engage my students in active learning.

Cultures intrigue me. I need to think about new technology and the generation of digital natives as a digital culture. I look at technology as an exciting culture rather than a negative impersonal design then I can more powerfully use it in my life and classroom. I know that I can healthily balance the use of technology in my classroom without cutting away face to face time with students. Maybe it is time I update my personal technology equipment.

endorsements and animals

Hello friends. My name is Michael Warncke.
I like bats. My endorsements are Art and Science.

Digital Overboard

In his article, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Marc Prensky brings up some valid concerns as to the ways the youth of today approach and exist in the world they live in. He attributes what he calls a "singularity" or fundamental change, to a rapid dissemination of digital technology that has taken place over the last two decades. He tells us that today's average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, yet have spent more than 10,000 hours playing video games, and even more than that watching TV (20,000 hours). He warns us that today's students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors which he dubs, "Digital Immigrants." These young people, our students today, he calls "Digital Natives," and he supposes that their brains have formed differently from the "Digital Immigrants" as a result of the digital media they were exposed to as they grew up.
Prensky cautions us that "Digital Immigrants" speak an outdated language and are struggling to teach a population that speaks and entirely new language. These "Digital Natives" are said to be "used to receiving their information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task." Even more humorous to me is that they prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite (didn't we all prefer the books with lots of pictures before we learned to get the real meaning out of reading?). He also says that they thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards.
Prensky points out a very real need for educators to be available to communicate with students on a more accessible level to their receptivity. He states that smart adult immigrants accept that they don't know about this digital native world and learn to have kids help them integrate while the not-so-smart immigrants just complain and reminisce. On this point I agree with the author. I think that it is important to learn to communicate with the youth on a level that seems different to the more mature and "older generation." However, I don't feel like we should pander to some irresponsible desire to have gratification at our fingertips and have everything be a contrived computer game. I will even agree that creating games to help people learn material can be valuable. I believe there should still be an understanding of our origins and the true value of the natural world. Technology is great and can be an awesome tool for learning, science, medicine, etc.. The outcome of catering to a desire for instant gratification and educating students to learn on a level that Prensky presents so urgently seems detrimental to me. I believe it would create a world of selfish, impatient, and petulant people. I agree that "Immigrants" should learn the language and be understanding of the differences in media available today. I do feel, however that an amount of slowing down is necessary for true knowledge and clear understanding of our world, it's processes, and inter-relationships. Perhaps that makes me a cave man but hey, I'm responding with my honest opinion.
Thanks for reading,
Michael Warncke

yes! first post

Shannon!
I love elephants! wahoo! I drove one once with my big toe
Social Studies is my endorsement

Digital Green Card

I consider myself to be a digital native. I was raised around electronics and watched (at times even helped) my dad and uncle build a few computers. My brother bought the original Nintendo when it came out, plus many of its successors; coupled with my love of computer games, I have become rather intuitive with technology. I have an odd ability to purchase the newest phone or computer and know, more-or-less, how to work it immediately out of the box. This is a great difference from digital immigrants who prefer "reading the manual for a program rather than assuming that the program itself will teach us to use it" (Prensky, 2001). I find this especially evident with my parents who routinely go to the manual for instruction or use a phone book, rather than using Google for directions.

It is important to realize, and acknowledge, that digital natives are neurologically developing differently. As I have gotten older and technology becomes more prevalent, I have found it more and more difficult to work cooperatively with my dad, who I would consider a digital immigrant. As previously stated, he will often turn to the manual, whereas I simply dump out all the parts and get to work, knowing the general concept. My dad has a habit of giving unnecessarily answers to simple questions, which also drive me nuts. This is, undoubtedly, because I have developed an affinity to "parallel process and multi-task" while my dad performs tasks "slowly, step-by-step, one thing at a time, individually" (Prensky, 2001) even though he has done it a thousand times before. I guess this is where the phrase "Old habits die hard" comes from. Anytime I try to get my dad to multi-task, he is always hesitant, but I think he understands the logic behind it. I just have to be the one leading the way because he will get lost.

My personal experiences with technology in the classroom are, I suppose, fairly limited. Aside from the typical Power-point presentation, I have had little else. I am familiar with how to use an overhead projector and the digital projectors in many of the classrooms here at Concordia as well. I have had a small amount of contact with SmartBoards, but only to the extent of effective navigation. In reflection, classes I learned best from were by instructors who used technology properly. For example, I took very little from an anthropology course which was ENTIRELY Power-point, with massive amounts of information on each slide. In contrast, I took a great deal of learning from an instructor who used Power-point to show pictures of ancient cities, coupled with a few bullet points, which he elaborated on. For this reason, I believe it is highly necessary for all instructors to understand how to properly implement technology in the classroom, because it can distract, or even degenerate, a student's learning and/or interest in a topic.

When I use technology in my classroom, I will be certain to use current technology. Seeing "ancient" technologies in a classroom often sets a disposition of boredom in before the teaching has even begun. I know that every time I came to class and an overhead projector was used, I found myself getting distracted more often. I will also be sure that technology is appropriate for what I am teaching that particular day. It is not always effective to use Power points or films in class. I think that many instructors, too often, will use technology as a "scape goat" because they were lazy in their planning for the day's lesson.

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, and Me

In my favorite C.L. Moore story “Mimsy Were the Borogoves,” Moore writes about a time machine sent back to 1942. The tiny time machine is filled with toys (e.g. a human doll with peculiar organs, a four-dimensional wire maize, etc.). In 1942, the seven-year-old Scott Paradine and his two-year-old sister Emma begin playing with the toys. The toys rewire the children’s brains and open them up to a consciousness foreign to their parent’s.

It’s an intriguing idea; that the brains of the children are fundamentally different from their parents based on technological experiences that weren’t even possible when their parents were their age.
“It is now clear that as a result of this ubiquitous environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors (Prinski, 2001, p. 1).”

I am a digital immigrant. I have never held a smart phone, sent a tweet, or skyped. I can almost count on two hands the amount of text messages I have sent (many of which were written in complete sentences). Furthermore, I grew up in a rural town and went away to college to study an archaic discipline whose hey-day was sometime between the Astrolabe and the Watt steam engine.

Studying Theology I was exposed to countless theologians, who upon coming of age, girded up thier loins and jumped into hundred-year-old arguments to grapple with each other’s ideas and concepts (back when arguments could last hundreds of years). Who would have thought that while I was lost in a cirriculum of time-tested ideas I was being deprived of the necessary skills needed to teach, how serious was my technological depravity?

“It’s very serious, because the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language,” Marc Prensky warns (2001, p. 2).

If Prensky is right, then my undergraduate education is something equivalent to studying Mandarin Chinese to teach English in Germany. But I don’t agree, I think Prensky goes too far. Just because Digital Natives have “little patience for lectures, step-by-step logic, and “tell-test” instruction,” does not mean we should throw all that to the wayside.

Paradoxically, Prinsky’s sentiment for Digital Natives sounds eerily too similar to the eight-tenth century figure known as the noble wild man. To the French, the wild man was someone alien to their customs and free from all the trappings of modern society. And so it is with Prinsky, the Digital Native is free from the trappings of linear, sequential thinking, and if the Digital Native fails to pay attention (“powers down”) we ought to understand that his intentions are only good and that all the fault lies on the instructor, whose weird “accent” is a stumbling block to his eager students.

As an English instructor I want to use technology as long as it helps in teaching. I want to utilize things like social media and smart boards, but I’m not interested in novelty. In my classes the students will still read from books and turn in printed papers.



Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On The Horizon (Vol. 9, No. 5).

Digital Status

I definitely consider myself a digital native.  Since I can remember, I have always been interested in the latest and greatest that technology has to offer.  As a child, I was a HUGE sports nerd, so I was always concerned about what was happening around the country (and sometime the world) at all times.  This led me to be dependent on various types of technology, and began to spark my interest in it.  Whether it is computer games, video games, cyberspace, or even communication methods (such as cell phones, skype, ETC) I not only embrace technology, but I even have a small passion for it.  I've always viewed technology as something we will all obviously depend on in the future...Yet, I am always dumbfounded why there are still those who choose not to embrace it.  "Digital Immigrants typically have very little appreciation for these new skills that the Natives have acquired and perfected through years of interaction and practice" (Digital Natives, 2).  Those who do not have the passion for technology, or are at least willing to adopt aspects of it, will have a very difficult time in the future, not only in teaching, but in life in general!

Not only was my educational experience drastically different between high school and college, but the difference in technology used was even greater!  In high school, the most advanced use of technology included an overhead-projector and an erasable marker..and if a classroom was really on the edge we had a digital projector.  At the University of Oregon, however, most of my classes were equipped with state of the art projectors, typically incorporated clicker technology, and occasionally used smart-boards.  In my last term before I graduated, one of my professors used technology seamlessly.  He created a detailed website for the class, which included the syllabus, our class schedule, daily assignments, attachments to read, videos to watch, and even an up to date grade book.  Though it seems like that SHOULD be said for every class I took at the University level, it was definitely not the case.  His ideas for how technology could be used in the classroom were very basic, but it was how he used them that made his teaching so effective.  I truly believe that I learned more from this adjunct professor than I did from any other throughout my 5 years in college, in large part due to his incorporation of the digital world.

After reading the articles by Marc Prensky, I wouldnt say that his ideas have changed my mind about using technology in classrooms, but they reiterate that it is a necessity in order to reach all of our students.  "All the students we teach have something in their lives that’s really engaging -- something that they do and that they are good at, something that has an engaging, creative component to it" (Engage, 62).  Therefor it is our job as teachers to access what truly engages them, and use it as a tool in teaching them...to reach them in the best way THEY know how, and not the best way WE know how.  As a line from Pay Attention states: "why not use the technology that our students love to teach more effectively?" (Pay Attention, 2:59). 

As a teacher, in addition to a class website (similar to the one my previously mentioned professor used) I plan on using social networks, such as Facebook, extensively in my teaching...first of all it is an AWESOME tool for getting to know your students, their passions, dislikes, ETC.  It is also useful for many things like establishing online discussions, posting certain projects online, and even reminders on homework or project due dates.  One aspect of incorporating technology into a classroom is the accessibility a student may or may not have to that technology when they are away from school.  I love Stephanie's ideas of utilizing devices such as podcasts, social media, ETC, but how do I provide the same education to a student without the availability of those resources?  Can I not make the use of technology mandatory?  Can I ask those students who do not have access to go to a library, which ends up being a much bigger task than the other students are given?

References

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon (Vol. 9, No. 5).

Prensky, Marc. "Engage me or Enrage me: What Today's Learners Demand." Educause Sep. 2005: 60-64.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT2E2F0DmyE

Digital Natives/Immigrants Post - Rebecca Shook

Digital Natives/Immigrants Post

by Rebecca Shook

            In the article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Prensky explains that the educational system of today is no longer working in teaching our children, due to the fact that their brains have changed drastically because of the amount of digital technology surrounding them (Prensky, 2001). Prensky writes, “Our students today are all ‘native speakers’ of the digital language of computers, video games, and the internet” (2001, p. 1).  Prensky goes on to compare the so called “digital natives” to the learners of yesterday, whom he refers to as digital immigrants.  “As digital immigrants learn- like all immigrants, some better than others- to adapt to their environment, they always retain, to some degree, their ‘accent,’ that is, their foot in the past” (Prensky, 2001, p. 2).  Digital natives have grown up in a completely different world and because of that, have completely different brains (Prensky, 2001).   It is no wonder that the educational system that was designed to teach to a completely different type of brain is failing our country.

            I consider myself a digital native in that I grew up with digital technology incorporated in to my every day life and am surrounded by many forms of digital technology today.  I am an avid video game player, internet browser, and smart phone user.  I prefer to do most of my communicating with people over email and text as opposed to making phone calls.  Prensky writes, “Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite” (2001, p. 2).  I am used to having information at my fingertips and I feel most comfortable when I can bounce around between different websites, working in many directions at once.

            Although I feel like I am much more a digital native than a digital immigrant, I would not consider the schools I attended to be technologically advanced in any way.  I remember having a computer lab in middle school that entire classrooms would use maybe once or twice a week.  In high school the computer lab was used for classrooms when needed and we also had teachers who would present using power-point presentations.  Aside from my schooling, all of my interactions with digital technology occurred in my home or in the summers, when I would choose to attend computer camps.  I also don’t remember much technology in college.  My professors used much of the same techniques as my high school teachers:  a lot of direct teaching and power-point slides.  Much like the children of today, I don’t remember being very interested in lectures by my professors and feel that I didn’t retain much information. 

            The articles presented to us in class have enlightened me to one of the problems of our educational system today.  I have always believed that using technology in the classroom is a great way to help make things more interesting and entertaining for students.  Incorporating computers in research and inquiry for science classes gives students a break from text books and opens avenues for more questions and research to arise.  Incorporating music and video games, along with various gadgets into every day classroom activities, really help the digital natives learn in ways they are best suited. 

References

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon (Vol. 9, No. 5).