I think the Podcasting group chose two very interesting pieces of work to share with us this week. First the video of Larry Lessig discussing reviving our creative culture, and the article The Changing Face of Workplace Learning by Anders Gronstedt. Both were informative but I have to admit I did enjoy one way more than the other.
The video of Larry Lessig unfortunately left me wondering if I had watched the right video and I kept checking my link to make sure I had the right one. Although engaging and thought provoking, I did not see the relevance to podcasting. He made valid points about reviving the creative culture by giving free access to content so young people could learn from it and use it for further creative flow. He gave two entertaining examples of video clips remixed with popular songs. He further explains that the culture and times in which our youth are growing up in, mixing songs and their belief that they are entitled to use them for creative expression at their leisure, is all they know.
The learning piece I really enjoyed was the article The Changing Face of Workplace Learning. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of facilitating training using podcasting in several areas of my company. I extracted two key points from this reading: The trend to host voting for favorite podcasts and the self-filtering of relevant information directly supports the note the article concluded with: "In the old world we could only evaluate ourselves months later by inferring how our performance affected company results. Now we know right away and lessons learned can be put into play immediately." Those are music to a marketer's ears! Even if it is an internal concept, immediate results of what's effective in training can help guide future trainings and save a company tens of thousands of dollars.
Another key concept is the mobility of podcasting. Although it's key for employees to maximize their time while on the job, I am not sold on the idea of employees using their own down time to cram in more training. Driving to a sales meetings to meet with clients, yes, good use of work time, but listening to a podcast while on the treadmill after work, NO! At some point there has to be a personal life to counteract the work life. We have become a society where people are defined by what they do. We find professional people more valuable than blue collar workers. Many professionals are so consumed with their jobs that their lives revolve around them and when something goes wrong even if its out of their control they take it so personally they take their own life because of overwhelming grief.
Food for thought:
If the creators of music, art, theater, etc made their content free for the everyday consumer, how would they make their living?
If employees spend their down time learning via podcasting when do they recharge their batteries?
Lastly, I found the Workplace Learning piece enlightening for my paper because I see the potential for pocasting to be utilized more in classroom teaching. The digital generational gap could prove challenging for educators to grasp the concept of using this technology. Some of the principles of this article could directly tie into or give example to why it's important to bridge the digital generation gap.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Digital Natives and the Education System
To further support my thesis, the learning styles and "language" of digital natives is making traditional classroom lectures ineffective, I’ve added two additional resources to my readings. The Net Generation goes to University? by David Cameron of Charles Sturt University, and The ‘Digital Natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence by Sue Bennett, Karl Maton and Lisa Kervin.
The Net Generation highlights the digital natives beginning to enter college and the challenge educators face trying to teach them. The Net Generation poses a unique challenge, because they are fascinated with technology, like to multitask and expect fast interaction. The article highlights the differences between the learning preferences of digital natives versus the teaching style of traditional educators, also known as digital immigrants. One of the main differences in the natives learning preferences versus the teachers’ training methods is the natives’ preference for random access to information rather than step-by-step learning. These emerging differences have made educating digital natives a hot topic in the education community.
The ‘Digital Natives’ Debate highlights the opposing views of the existence of true digital natives. They classify the new generation of learners as students that have grown up with information and communication technology (ICT). Some educators argue that the classification of digital natives is too hasty although they acknowledge there are significant differences in today’s students learning styles and traditional educators’ knowledge of technology. The authors claim that the debate of digital natives is based on two main components: 1) A distinct generation of digital natives does truly exist and 2) The education system must change in order to remain effective in educating upcoming students.
Several key points in both articles exist. First, in The Net Generation, the author explains that digital natives prefer “twitch speed” which is a hectic approach to gathering information, as well as random access to information. Some theorists, including Marc Prensky the leading advocate, argue that these preferences will require educators to use gaming formats as instructional resources in the future in order to get through to digital natives. This claim is supported by research that shows the digital natives learn differently and their brains develop different from their predecessors.
Secondly, in The ‘Digital Natives” Debate, the authors highlight the fact that the educational system is in a panic to restructure education, but the panic attack may be unwarranted. They suggest that although the learning styles of upcoming students is changing, more emphasis should be put on teaching students how to conduct thorough effective research using technology. They stress that the natives’ tendency to want immediate answers has weakened their ability to conduct meaningful research and sort through inadequate or irrelevant research and that their critical thinking skills has been weakened as a result.
Finally, the last key point of the readings is crucial – there is limited empirical evidence to support the anecdotes of some educators and that more thorough research needs to be conducted before radical changes in curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and professional development take place.
These findings and others will directly support or disprove my thesis that the learning styles and ‘language’ of digital natives is rendering traditional education ineffective.
This week’s readings have left me with a couple of questions:
- Is exhaustive research necessary to prove that the learning styles of the Net Generation are significantly different and provoking change in teaching methods?
- Are some theorists correct in assuming that upcoming teaching methods must incorporate gaming methods to be effective?
The Net Generation highlights the digital natives beginning to enter college and the challenge educators face trying to teach them. The Net Generation poses a unique challenge, because they are fascinated with technology, like to multitask and expect fast interaction. The article highlights the differences between the learning preferences of digital natives versus the teaching style of traditional educators, also known as digital immigrants. One of the main differences in the natives learning preferences versus the teachers’ training methods is the natives’ preference for random access to information rather than step-by-step learning. These emerging differences have made educating digital natives a hot topic in the education community.
The ‘Digital Natives’ Debate highlights the opposing views of the existence of true digital natives. They classify the new generation of learners as students that have grown up with information and communication technology (ICT). Some educators argue that the classification of digital natives is too hasty although they acknowledge there are significant differences in today’s students learning styles and traditional educators’ knowledge of technology. The authors claim that the debate of digital natives is based on two main components: 1) A distinct generation of digital natives does truly exist and 2) The education system must change in order to remain effective in educating upcoming students.
Several key points in both articles exist. First, in The Net Generation, the author explains that digital natives prefer “twitch speed” which is a hectic approach to gathering information, as well as random access to information. Some theorists, including Marc Prensky the leading advocate, argue that these preferences will require educators to use gaming formats as instructional resources in the future in order to get through to digital natives. This claim is supported by research that shows the digital natives learn differently and their brains develop different from their predecessors.
Secondly, in The ‘Digital Natives” Debate, the authors highlight the fact that the educational system is in a panic to restructure education, but the panic attack may be unwarranted. They suggest that although the learning styles of upcoming students is changing, more emphasis should be put on teaching students how to conduct thorough effective research using technology. They stress that the natives’ tendency to want immediate answers has weakened their ability to conduct meaningful research and sort through inadequate or irrelevant research and that their critical thinking skills has been weakened as a result.
Finally, the last key point of the readings is crucial – there is limited empirical evidence to support the anecdotes of some educators and that more thorough research needs to be conducted before radical changes in curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and professional development take place.
These findings and others will directly support or disprove my thesis that the learning styles and ‘language’ of digital natives is rendering traditional education ineffective.
This week’s readings have left me with a couple of questions:
- Is exhaustive research necessary to prove that the learning styles of the Net Generation are significantly different and provoking change in teaching methods?
- Are some theorists correct in assuming that upcoming teaching methods must incorporate gaming methods to be effective?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Blogging answers
Blogging: What is it?
1) What motivates people to create blogs?
It’s an opportunity for people to write about what they care about, what they know about, and react to things that are happening in their communities.
2) Do bloggers have ethical responsibilities for accuracy?
Because blogs tend to be a large majority of people’s personal views, bloggers do not have ethical responsibilities for accuracy, but should follow moral principles to not knowingly spread false information.
3) Has the blog made an impact on how people use the web? Do blogs encourage a more participative culture and collective intelligence online?
The blog has definitely made an impact on how people use the web. Blogging has enabled the common citizen to become grassroots journalists and communicate to traditionalists and politicians about what matters most to them. Blogging has encouraged merging between traditional journalists and bloggers which has created a participatory culture. Because bloggers have access to more information collectively, this has enriched the collective intelligence that happens among bloggers and between bloggers and journalists.
4) How is the blog an example of digital convergence?
The blog exemplifies digital convergence as it combines traditional journalism, the web, and letter writing.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Blog
1) What are the ethical implications of blogs? Should people be mindful of offensive content?
Because bloggers are note legally mandated to prove their stories are correct, they can influence the opinions of the public with their opinions if they pose them as fact on their blogs. Although I believe in the freedom of speech, I believe people should be mindful of offensive content because not everyone is comfortable with profanity and people should not use blogs to attack people’s character.
2) Does blogging elicit civic and community engagement? Or, does blogging draw the blogger into the online world and away from the community?
Blogging definitely elicits civic and community engagement. Like Rockville Central, blogs encourage feedback from the citizens of the community they focus on. Blogging doesn’t draw the blogger away from the community on the contrary it encourages the blogger to monitor the community more closely.
3) Should the administrator of the blog have the right to edit posts by others? Does this make the blog less authentic?
The administrator should have the right to edit or delete posts in order to maintain the integrity of the blog, but unfortunately it does make it less authentic. Instead of editing, it would be best to just delete entries that violate the terms of participating in the blog.
1) What motivates people to create blogs?
It’s an opportunity for people to write about what they care about, what they know about, and react to things that are happening in their communities.
2) Do bloggers have ethical responsibilities for accuracy?
Because blogs tend to be a large majority of people’s personal views, bloggers do not have ethical responsibilities for accuracy, but should follow moral principles to not knowingly spread false information.
3) Has the blog made an impact on how people use the web? Do blogs encourage a more participative culture and collective intelligence online?
The blog has definitely made an impact on how people use the web. Blogging has enabled the common citizen to become grassroots journalists and communicate to traditionalists and politicians about what matters most to them. Blogging has encouraged merging between traditional journalists and bloggers which has created a participatory culture. Because bloggers have access to more information collectively, this has enriched the collective intelligence that happens among bloggers and between bloggers and journalists.
4) How is the blog an example of digital convergence?
The blog exemplifies digital convergence as it combines traditional journalism, the web, and letter writing.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Blog
1) What are the ethical implications of blogs? Should people be mindful of offensive content?
Because bloggers are note legally mandated to prove their stories are correct, they can influence the opinions of the public with their opinions if they pose them as fact on their blogs. Although I believe in the freedom of speech, I believe people should be mindful of offensive content because not everyone is comfortable with profanity and people should not use blogs to attack people’s character.
2) Does blogging elicit civic and community engagement? Or, does blogging draw the blogger into the online world and away from the community?
Blogging definitely elicits civic and community engagement. Like Rockville Central, blogs encourage feedback from the citizens of the community they focus on. Blogging doesn’t draw the blogger away from the community on the contrary it encourages the blogger to monitor the community more closely.
3) Should the administrator of the blog have the right to edit posts by others? Does this make the blog less authentic?
The administrator should have the right to edit or delete posts in order to maintain the integrity of the blog, but unfortunately it does make it less authentic. Instead of editing, it would be best to just delete entries that violate the terms of participating in the blog.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Millenials as Digital Natives revised
My readings for this week took me on a research adventure into the world of generations, but more specifically, the Millenials or the N-Gen as some would call them. Although not an expert on the subject, through my research I would argue that the N-Gen is a subculture of the Millenials. The N-Gen are digital natives and have never known life without the internet, hence the name N-Gen or Net Generation. So what does this all have to do with my research thesis for Digital Media class? Everything. Last week I attempted to develop my thesis around the dual definition of the digital divide. Desiring to investigate the ills of society and the effects the economic divide has on technology in poorer school districts, and the technological gap between Baby Boomers and the N-Gen, I was faced with the reality of the overwhelming task of connecting the two. Hence, this week I am concentrating my efforts on researching the intergenerational digital divide and the challenges our society and educational system faces trying to narrow it. I find this topic to be of importance because there is a need to create a participative learning environment using digital media convergence to optimize student learning. Thus my revised thesis is the learning styles and "language" of digital natives is making traditional classroom lectures ineffective and compelling educators to use video games and other means of technology to teach basic literacy and math.
Researchers, academics and marketers alike are fascinated with this generation and thus there is a plethora of research on the Millenials, but very little on the digital generational gap between them and their teachers. Ultimately I have found a few articles that address the subject. I will share overviews and highlights of two them. Teaching Millennials, Our Newest Cultural Cohort by Angela Provitera McGlynn addresses our modern day educators and exhorts them to get to know this generation, their thought process and how they learn. She theorizes that the N-Gen students gravitate toward group activity, learn differently and interact differently than older generations. They embrace teamwork, experiential activities and gravitate toward technology. In fact, they cannot and have not lived without technology. She lists among their strengths a collaborative learning style and the ability to multitask. The Millennials love of technology has fostered a strong collective intelligence in that much of their life lessons come from interactions on social networking websites, chat rooms and in some cases digital video games. McGlynn implores her colleagues to embrace the characteristics of this generation and use them to properly educate the students in the classroom. Such characteristics include their desire to stay connected to family by means of electronic communications such as email and cell phones, and work collaboratively. Additionally she encourages teachers to “learn what we can about using technology effectively to enhance learning”.
In part one of a two-part series, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, author Marc Prensky also engages the reader in the topic of the Millennials, but warmly refers to them more as the Net Gen or N-Gen. In addition to this generational catch phrase he introduces to a term he prefers, Digital Natives, meaning this generation are “native speakers” of a digital language involving the use of personal computers, video games and the Internet. Prensky also introduces the comparative term Digital Immigrants, or those of us who have embraced technology, but later in our lives. He emphasizes Digital Immigrants learn and retain but always keep our “accent”. One example as mentioned by Dr. Xia in class is the inclination for Digital Immigrants to print out a document from the computer in order to edit it instead of just editing it on the screen. I have to admit I am often guilty of this digital crime and get angry if I run out of ink and can’t print out something just to read it over. Prensky also does a great job of discussing the topic of my paper which is the effect this digital divide has on our current education system. He points out that most of our current day educators are from a pre-digital age and speak an outdated language, and thus have a hard time teaching Digital Natives. Teachers are boring these students because they are used to getting information quick from the internet, and like to multi-task like listening to music and/or watching tv while studying or doing homework. They do all of this while texting on their cell phones. I must admit as a parent of two Digital Natives, this drives me crazy and I do not understand it at all. Prensky also addresses the enormous project of teaching Natives the basic content of reading, writing, arithmetic etc, but in a language they understand and at a much faster speed and using technology.
Both of my articles address the current struggle educators are facing keeping the attention of Digital Natives in the classroom and learning to teach them in a language they can comprehend. Additionally, my second article addresses how many educators are tossing around the idea of developing tools to teach the basics using video games and advanced software. The future of academics might just come in a Nintendo or Wii box with a joystick.
http://athena.rider.edu:4055/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=105&sid=c542e05f-789a-4caa-aa32-08ae0c90329e%40sessionmgr107
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/projects/resources/Digital_Natives_Digital_Immigrants.pdf
Researchers, academics and marketers alike are fascinated with this generation and thus there is a plethora of research on the Millenials, but very little on the digital generational gap between them and their teachers. Ultimately I have found a few articles that address the subject. I will share overviews and highlights of two them. Teaching Millennials, Our Newest Cultural Cohort by Angela Provitera McGlynn addresses our modern day educators and exhorts them to get to know this generation, their thought process and how they learn. She theorizes that the N-Gen students gravitate toward group activity, learn differently and interact differently than older generations. They embrace teamwork, experiential activities and gravitate toward technology. In fact, they cannot and have not lived without technology. She lists among their strengths a collaborative learning style and the ability to multitask. The Millennials love of technology has fostered a strong collective intelligence in that much of their life lessons come from interactions on social networking websites, chat rooms and in some cases digital video games. McGlynn implores her colleagues to embrace the characteristics of this generation and use them to properly educate the students in the classroom. Such characteristics include their desire to stay connected to family by means of electronic communications such as email and cell phones, and work collaboratively. Additionally she encourages teachers to “learn what we can about using technology effectively to enhance learning”.
In part one of a two-part series, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, author Marc Prensky also engages the reader in the topic of the Millennials, but warmly refers to them more as the Net Gen or N-Gen. In addition to this generational catch phrase he introduces to a term he prefers, Digital Natives, meaning this generation are “native speakers” of a digital language involving the use of personal computers, video games and the Internet. Prensky also introduces the comparative term Digital Immigrants, or those of us who have embraced technology, but later in our lives. He emphasizes Digital Immigrants learn and retain but always keep our “accent”. One example as mentioned by Dr. Xia in class is the inclination for Digital Immigrants to print out a document from the computer in order to edit it instead of just editing it on the screen. I have to admit I am often guilty of this digital crime and get angry if I run out of ink and can’t print out something just to read it over. Prensky also does a great job of discussing the topic of my paper which is the effect this digital divide has on our current education system. He points out that most of our current day educators are from a pre-digital age and speak an outdated language, and thus have a hard time teaching Digital Natives. Teachers are boring these students because they are used to getting information quick from the internet, and like to multi-task like listening to music and/or watching tv while studying or doing homework. They do all of this while texting on their cell phones. I must admit as a parent of two Digital Natives, this drives me crazy and I do not understand it at all. Prensky also addresses the enormous project of teaching Natives the basic content of reading, writing, arithmetic etc, but in a language they understand and at a much faster speed and using technology.
Both of my articles address the current struggle educators are facing keeping the attention of Digital Natives in the classroom and learning to teach them in a language they can comprehend. Additionally, my second article addresses how many educators are tossing around the idea of developing tools to teach the basics using video games and advanced software. The future of academics might just come in a Nintendo or Wii box with a joystick.
http://athena.rider.edu:4055/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=105&sid=c542e05f-789a-4caa-aa32-08ae0c90329e%40sessionmgr107
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/projects/resources/Digital_Natives_Digital_Immigrants.pdf
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Millenials as Digital Natives
My readings for this week took me on a research adventure into the world of generations, but more specifically, the Millenials or the N-Gen as some would call them. Although not an expert on the subject, through my research I would argue that the N-Gen is a subculture of the Millenials. The N-Gen are digital natives and have never known life without the internet, hence the name N-Gen or Net Generation. So what does this all have to do with my research thesis for Digital Media class? Everything. Last week I attempted to develop my thesis around the dual definition of the digital divide. Desiring to investigate the ills of society and the effects the economic divide has on technology in poorer school districts, and the technological gap between Baby Boomers and the N-Gen, I was faced with the reality of the overwhelming task of connecting the two. Hence, this week I am concentrating my efforts on researching the intergenerational digital divide and the challenges our society and educational system faces trying to narrow it. I find this topic to be of importance because there is a need to create a participative learning environment using digital media convergence to optimize student learning. With narrowing my topic also came much less literature and research available on the subject.
Researchers, academics and marketers alike are fascinated with this generation and thus there is a plethora of research on the Millenials, but very little on the digital generational gap between them and their teachers. Ultimately I have found a few articles that address the subject. I will share overviews and highlights of two them. Teaching Millennials, Our Newest Cultural Cohort by Angela Provitera McGlynn addresses our modern day educators and exhorts them to get to know this generation, their thought process and how they learn. She theorizes that the N-Gen students gravitate toward group activity, learn differently and interact differently than older generations. They embrace teamwork, experiential activities and gravitate toward technology. In fact, they cannot and have not lived without technology. She lists among their strengths a collaborative learning style and the ability to multitask. The Millennials love of technology has fostered a strong collective intelligence in that much of their life lessons come from interactions on social networking websites, chat rooms and in some cases digital video games. McGlynn implores her colleagues to embrace the characteristics of this generation and use them to properly educate the students in the classroom. Such characteristics include their desire to stay connected to family by means of electronic communications such as email and cell phones, and work collaboratively. Additionally she encourages teachers to “learn what we can about using technology effectively to enhance learning”.
In part one of a two-part series, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, author Marc Prensky also engages the reader in the topic of the Millennials, but warmly refers to them more as the Net Gen or N-Gen. In addition to this generational catch phrase he introduces to a term he prefers, Digital Natives, meaning this generation are “native speakers” of a digital language involving the use of personal computers, video games and the Internet. Prensky also introduces the comparative term Digital Immigrants, or those of us who have embraced technology, but later in our lives. He emphasizes Digital Immigrants learn and retain but always keep our “accent”. One example as mentioned by Dr. Xia in class is the inclination for Digital Immigrants to print out a document from the computer in order to edit it instead of just editing it on the screen. I have to admit I am often guilty of this digital crime and get angry if I run out of ink and can’t print out something just to read it over. Prensky also does a great job of discussing the topic of my paper which is the effect this digital divide has on our current education system. He points out that most of our current day educators are from a pre-digital age and speak an outdated language, and thus have a hard time teaching Digital Natives. Teachers are boring these students because they are used to getting information quick from the internet, and like to multi-task like listening to music and/or watching tv while studying or doing homework. They do all of this while texting on their cell phones. I must admit as a parent of two Digital Natives, this drives me crazy and I do not understand it at all. Prensky also addresses the enormous project of teaching Natives the basic content of reading, writing, arithmetic etc, but in a language they understand and at a much faster speed and using technology. Many educators are tossing around the idea of developing tools to teach the basics using video games and advanced software. The future of academics might just come in a Nintendo or Wii box with a joystick.
http://athena.rider.edu:4055/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=105&sid=c542e05f-789a-4caa-aa32-08ae0c90329e%40sessionmgr107
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/projects/resources/Digital_Natives_Digital_Immigrants.pdf
Researchers, academics and marketers alike are fascinated with this generation and thus there is a plethora of research on the Millenials, but very little on the digital generational gap between them and their teachers. Ultimately I have found a few articles that address the subject. I will share overviews and highlights of two them. Teaching Millennials, Our Newest Cultural Cohort by Angela Provitera McGlynn addresses our modern day educators and exhorts them to get to know this generation, their thought process and how they learn. She theorizes that the N-Gen students gravitate toward group activity, learn differently and interact differently than older generations. They embrace teamwork, experiential activities and gravitate toward technology. In fact, they cannot and have not lived without technology. She lists among their strengths a collaborative learning style and the ability to multitask. The Millennials love of technology has fostered a strong collective intelligence in that much of their life lessons come from interactions on social networking websites, chat rooms and in some cases digital video games. McGlynn implores her colleagues to embrace the characteristics of this generation and use them to properly educate the students in the classroom. Such characteristics include their desire to stay connected to family by means of electronic communications such as email and cell phones, and work collaboratively. Additionally she encourages teachers to “learn what we can about using technology effectively to enhance learning”.
In part one of a two-part series, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, author Marc Prensky also engages the reader in the topic of the Millennials, but warmly refers to them more as the Net Gen or N-Gen. In addition to this generational catch phrase he introduces to a term he prefers, Digital Natives, meaning this generation are “native speakers” of a digital language involving the use of personal computers, video games and the Internet. Prensky also introduces the comparative term Digital Immigrants, or those of us who have embraced technology, but later in our lives. He emphasizes Digital Immigrants learn and retain but always keep our “accent”. One example as mentioned by Dr. Xia in class is the inclination for Digital Immigrants to print out a document from the computer in order to edit it instead of just editing it on the screen. I have to admit I am often guilty of this digital crime and get angry if I run out of ink and can’t print out something just to read it over. Prensky also does a great job of discussing the topic of my paper which is the effect this digital divide has on our current education system. He points out that most of our current day educators are from a pre-digital age and speak an outdated language, and thus have a hard time teaching Digital Natives. Teachers are boring these students because they are used to getting information quick from the internet, and like to multi-task like listening to music and/or watching tv while studying or doing homework. They do all of this while texting on their cell phones. I must admit as a parent of two Digital Natives, this drives me crazy and I do not understand it at all. Prensky also addresses the enormous project of teaching Natives the basic content of reading, writing, arithmetic etc, but in a language they understand and at a much faster speed and using technology. Many educators are tossing around the idea of developing tools to teach the basics using video games and advanced software. The future of academics might just come in a Nintendo or Wii box with a joystick.
http://athena.rider.edu:4055/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=105&sid=c542e05f-789a-4caa-aa32-08ae0c90329e%40sessionmgr107
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/projects/resources/Digital_Natives_Digital_Immigrants.pdf
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