Required+Learning


 * __Reflection:__**

I both agree and disagree with the Prensky articles. I agree that today’s students have changed drastically from those in the past in a number of ways. In the world today they are growing up with technology all around them, as opposed to students before that are not familiar and didn’t have the digital opportunities that we have now. In the article they discuss that digital immigrants have an accent with things such as the Internet that comes second to them instead of first. He gave examples such as using/reading a manual when something goes wrong, rather than assuming the program with help them. I believe this to be true because if you need an answer to anyone question or problem, today’s kids will automatically go straight the to the Internet to look it up. However, the digital immigrants would most likely not turn to technology first. I think that this has a lot to do with how we are all raised, and what resources have been available to us.

I do disagree just a very little bit when they article states that the digital immigrants have to completely change if they want to “reach the digital natives”. I do believe that these teachers and professors that are digital immigrants should in fact start learning the ways of technology because that is the way that the world is moving. There will only be more and more digital usage and they should become familiar with it in order to move forward. But, I don’t think that this is the only way that the teachers are able to reach their students. Students should still communicate with teachers inside of the classroom and try to meet halfway with them if they are having a lot of trouble with technology. In order for them to learn we are going to have to be patient. I think the teachers should begin to utilize these digital resources more and more so that they can become more familiar with it and reach out to their students easily.

As a teacher during my first year I plan to use technology throughout the learning experience. By the time I am a teacher I will know more about technology than I do now, and continue to learn. I believe the students will mostly know how technology works because now kids every day are growing up around it. By the 10th year I think things will only progress and children and myself will be more comfortable with technology. Something that I will have to take into consideration is that not all children will be surrounded by technology because of costs and what not, so it will be important to be patient and make sure each child has the same opportunities and learns at a pace that is comfortable for them. Not all learning will have to do with technology but I believe that it does engage them very well and it is important to motivate kids to learn. I think that as time goes on skills will continue to become more advanced and it is important to make our children and us aware of these changes.

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