I would definitely consider myself to be a digital native. In fact, those of us born in the first half of the 1980s could arguably be considered the first generation of digital natives, going through elementary school just as the internet began finding its way into most every American home and hitting middle and high school just as cell phones and laptops exploded onto the scene. I imagine that we were among the last to take class trips to the library to do research out of the schools’ sets of encyclopedias, and the last to work on computer monitors that displayed data in only two colors. I can still recall with sentimentality the silly games like number-crunchers we played on those old computers in elementary school, just as well as I remember being taught to use an internet search engine for the first time. By late high school most everyone had cell phones, but having a ring tone that sounded as though it were a real song was still a new novelty. Because I’m just old enough to still recall the days when we all survived without iPhones or any call phone at all I do believe that I maintain a very slight “accent” for the old ways, but one that like all slight accents is only detectable after a long conversation.
It seems as though teachers have indeed understood students’ need to engage them at their interest level for some time now as I recall spending time in my elementary school computer lab in the mid-90s playing games like Incredible Machines, Oregon Trail, and even a special computer game to teach typing skills. However, within the classroom, I don’t remember much beyond overhead projectors and chalkboards. Moving into middle and high school the games and overheads mostly disappeared, to be replaced with PowerPoint presentations in class and even a required Technology course, spanning the entire freshman year, teaching typing and the use of the Microsoft Office applications. Actually in undergrad there was often a regression back to the old ways (probably due to a combination of the preferences of my older professors and the lack of funding by the school for technological updates) and it wasn’t until now in graduate school that I experienced presentation one step further and have smart boards and ELMOs in the classroom. I have a very poor memory for my educational experience, so it’s hard to say how I was affected by these changes, but interestingly what I remember most are those experiences in elementary school playing those fun games, and I’m sure I was learning then. I say that because it has been my constant struggle to retain the information that I’ve “learned” over the course of my education, instead of just memorizing and regurgitating it for an exam. All the while I enjoyed “learning” and for the most part I don’t believe that I really needed flashing lights or games to stay engaged. However, thinking back, it may have been what I needed to really learn.
However, if the argument is that using technology is the only way to make students learn, I think we are over generalizing. I can’t help but wonder if we think we must have technology in classrooms because these digital natives really need it or if we need technology to make up for a lack of dynamic and engaging teachers. I don’t deny that the integration of games, podcasts, video, and any other computer-generated activity is very beneficial and can be more interesting to students than the traditional task or assignment. I also know that it can turn an already dynamic and engaging teacher into an even more amazing teacher. However, I know personally some well-trained, experienced teachers who keep students consistently engaged without resorting to those bells and whistles, and I don’t know that they’d say they have a harder time engaging students with their methods today versus 20 years ago.
I feel like the key here is less the necessity of using technology in the classroom (although I like to and think it can be beneficial), and more what sort of learning devices and resources we provide students outside the classroom for homework or research when there is no teacher around to engage them. I have used PowerPoint, songs, videos, etc. in my classes in the past and I plan to continue to do so. However, after reading this article I do feel the need to provide more resources for students out of the classroom that will motivate them to study Spanish on their own. For example, Berlitz has a program that turns learning vocabulary into a game and if there were more games like this available in stores or online I think students would be more motivated to study. Foreign languages are very hard and can leave students feeling discouraged rather quickly, so I need to provide extra resources such as podcasts or videos for students to use out of class. I wish I knew how to design software and I’d make my own games!
Tiffany, not surprisingly, we have the same views. As we are both born within a year or so from each other, we experienced the same introduction of technology throughout our educational careers. I too remember the introduction of computers into every home, cell phones (even pagers for a few years), internet, etc. I like how you mentioned that you have a very slight "accent" for the old ways, as it is something I neglected to mention in my post. I also remember the computer games we used in elementary school, especially the Oregon Trail game. However, the video games do not stand out brighter than my other experiences. I remember them being fun, but not particularly educational.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as you in questioning the necessity of utilizing technology in order to engage our students. My teachers engaged me very well without utilizing technology. Yet, I do agree that there are ways that we can utilize technology to optimize our students learning. I too wish I knew how to design software; maybe that is a path I will pursue in the future.