Digital Native article
"Portrait of a Digital Native" by Tom McHale is a very enlightening article. (the blogging software would not accept the website pasted form the lesson so I have deleted it) The article talks about something I see every day, and that needs to be addressed.
The pace is fast. The multitasking is beyond my comprehension. Children are processing info in nanoseconds. Certainly, that changes the way students think. Have you ever tried to get your kids too watch an old black and white movie—Yikes, it’s just way too slow for them, so if it’s a classic like “On the Waterfront”, or “Citizen Kane” for instance, they might not get the lesson. They might need something faster paced to comprehend the message. Anything fast and technical is a breeze. So absolutely, those techniques must be used in the classroom so that the students don’t doze. We can’t leave students in the dark because we are not willing to put in some extra effort.
Much as I think technology is great in some instances, and would add to student involvement, I also agree with Jane Healy, who, according to the article, feels that slower processing, more depth and concentrated focus is needed for complex problems. I also feel, personally, that, even though we want to engage the students, it’s a mistake to always teach on their terms. Part of life is having to struggle with thinking a different way, and exploring all avenues. We do students a disservice when we don’t make them see that.
I’m not saying that technology shouldn’t be a major part of education. No, It has to be at this point. We need way more good technology usage. I just think that interesting and important curriculum has to come first. Students have to learn to write decently, do math without a calculator, and have an ability for real scientific questioning. Technology is just a means to lead them in that direction. All tactics must be used.
The pace is fast. The multitasking is beyond my comprehension. Children are processing info in nanoseconds. Certainly, that changes the way students think. Have you ever tried to get your kids too watch an old black and white movie—Yikes, it’s just way too slow for them, so if it’s a classic like “On the Waterfront”, or “Citizen Kane” for instance, they might not get the lesson. They might need something faster paced to comprehend the message. Anything fast and technical is a breeze. So absolutely, those techniques must be used in the classroom so that the students don’t doze. We can’t leave students in the dark because we are not willing to put in some extra effort.
Much as I think technology is great in some instances, and would add to student involvement, I also agree with Jane Healy, who, according to the article, feels that slower processing, more depth and concentrated focus is needed for complex problems. I also feel, personally, that, even though we want to engage the students, it’s a mistake to always teach on their terms. Part of life is having to struggle with thinking a different way, and exploring all avenues. We do students a disservice when we don’t make them see that.
I’m not saying that technology shouldn’t be a major part of education. No, It has to be at this point. We need way more good technology usage. I just think that interesting and important curriculum has to come first. Students have to learn to write decently, do math without a calculator, and have an ability for real scientific questioning. Technology is just a means to lead them in that direction. All tactics must be used.
posted by catnap25 at 7:41 AM
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