Is There a Digital and Generational Divide?

https://pixabay.com/en/digital-zeros-ones-woman-stylish-388075/

In a 2007 online article entitled “Digital Nativism”, author Jamie McKenzie critiques Marc Prensky’s analysis in his 2001 article, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants”, stating, “His view is intellectually bankrupt, but simple-minded thinking is often attractive.” The main crux of McKenzie’s article is that Prensky has relied upon scant, specious, or tangential evidence at best to forge his theory of a digital divide between Digital Natives (the Gen-Xers and Millenials/Gen-Nexters) and Digital Immigrants (Boomers). I have to admit, that based upon my initial read of Prensky’s article, I did find it “attractive”. Yet, I have to chide myself, as I have done to my high school students, to consider and weigh the evidence.

A deeper review of evidence can be found in Reeves’ 2008 meta-analysis of research on the topic, “Do generational differences matter in instructional design?” The short and long of this analysis leads to the following key conclusions among others:

• No statistically significant difference exists between the generations’ learning needs and educational requirements.
  
• The studies identified have largely focused on elite populations and lack sufficient data on blue collar and lower socioeconomic groups which would be needed to make valid general conclusions.
  
• Good instructional design and methods (does this mean a well-prepared teacher?) trump the delivery method (whether in person or online; whether with or without technology).

Now what?

So the take-away for me as either a teacher or a coach of other teachers, is that we need to know our students and design lessons that support their learning. This can include technology, however, learning needs should drive the lesson structure rather than technological tools. Instructional design begins with the learner. What does he know? What is her background? What are the learning goals? How can we as teachers build a bridge (or in Vygotskian terms a “scaffold”) to engage and support student learning? Therein lies the beautiful puzzling and rewarding profession of teaching.

How do I reply to the proponents of Prensky’s “Digital Natives”?

Honestly, McKenzie’s article does an outstanding job of debunking the mythology of the Digital Natives explanation. As attractive as the idea is, it does not withstand the close analysis provided by McKenzie. While Prensky may set the Natives against the Immigrants, I think each generation has skills, ideas and capabilities. I would rather learn from each other, than cast aspersions. I am a Baby Boomer, but use technology to learn and teach. If I can be an exception to the Digital Immigrant label, perhaps others can defy easy but faulty categorization. Then, perhaps, we can all work together to teach and learn.

Sources:

McKenzie, J. (2007). Digital nativism: Digital delusions and digital deprivation. From Now On, 17(2). Retrieved from http://fno.org/nov07/nativism.html

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants – Part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6). Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Reeves, T.C. (2008). Do generational differences matter in instructional design? Online discussion presentation to Instructional Technology Forum from January 22-25, 2008 at http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper104/ReevesITForumJan08.pdf

To Common Core or Not To Common Core?

A bit of commentary...

The puzzle of teaching in the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) era is one that leaves me, a public school teacher in California, often scratching my head for answers. I am conflicted about the new standards, in part because of how they are politicized. However, I  personally prefer the CCSS approach to the previous NCLB and California State Standards: Diving deep into topics (a CCSS approach in my mind) is far preferred to wading in a mile-wide, inch deep puddle of memorized knowledge.

I have just finished a four-year stint of teaching high school English. My CCSS experience is hence focused on the English/Language Arts standards. The students I taught over these years have all been educated in the NCLB era (effective on 1/8/2002). I see the biggest challenge, however, is for current high school students making the shift to Common Core, without the benefit of a ramp of educational experiences leading them to this point. This is the challenge for today’s teachers in students: How do we make this shift?

I leave aside the politics of Federal versus State educational control and policies. I even let go of the politics of testing. These are all out of my control. What is and will be under my control is the students in my classroom and how I collaborate with other teachers to improve student learning. I embrace this time of change. I honestly think it is change for the better. As teachers, we are being asked to prepare students for the future, and consider what students need to succeed in the real world.

Rather than constructing an “either/or” argument, (either academic knowledge or world-of-work skills), I’d rather create a “yes/and” learning environment, where solutions to multiple demands can be found. So I seek out methods that engage students, such as Project Based Learning, and bit by bit, students will learn to dive deeper into understandings, even if we have to wade out together gradually, until they are eventually ready to swim off independently.

For embracing this yes/and attitude, I owe a debt of gratitude to Mike Lawrence, CEO of CUE.org, for his recent Ted Talk about the teacher's lounge.

Have more questions about Common Core? I just found this updated link from Edutopia on the topic that might help!

This is not my blog? ...I'm okay with that.

Hi, I’m Jen Roberts. Judy asked me to write a guest post on her blog and that’s why I am here. But where is here? Well, on the web, I guess, a space brought to us by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Sometime in the early nineties, while I was negotiating my first years as a college student, Berners-Lee was building the first web pages. Wikipedia explains it better, but basically he was the first to make the Hypertext Transfer Protocol work. You know how all our web addresses start with http? That’s him. This gives us the world wide web, the ability to get to websites, the means for adding links into text, creating hypertext, and of course millions of cat videos.

So why are we here? Now that we know, sort of, where here is. Berners-Lee had an idea about that too. He sees the web as a collaborative space, where everyone can share their information and ideas. We are here, basically, because we have something to say and the web gives us a free and public space to say it.
And so we blog because we can, because twenty five years ago if you had something to say you could write a letter to the editor, hold up a sign, print a pamphlet or even try to get a book published, but if you wanted to reach a global audience you had to do something outrageous enough to break into the mainstream media. We blog because we know that within a few hours a blog post can reach thousands of people, who may or may not agree with us, but who are likely at least interested enough to read our words. We blog because it gives us voice. We blog because we have something to share, rant about, or reflect on, or for educators it is often something to teach. 
I’ve looked through Judy’s blog, here at the beginning of her blogging journey she is writing about her plans, the things she wants to learn more about, the books she wants to read this summer. It is her way of publicly announcing her goals, perhaps in an effort to keep herself focused on what they are. I’ve been blogging for more than a few years now at LitandTech.com about my classroom, the things I’ve learned, apps I like and how I used them in the classroom, reflections on educational models, books I’ve read, things I think work for my PLC and my students, and whatever seems important to me at the time. It is really wonderful when a teacher asks me about how I do something and I can not only answer the question, but link him or her to a post with more specifics. Like when someone asked me, “What is a Google Form good for in the classroom anyway?” It took me three posts to cover all the things I use them for. When I have a good idea and it works for my students I want to share it. The most popular post on my blog right now is How I use Socrative for Writing Instruction.

"A blog is not a puppy."

“I don’t have time to write a blog,” is a pretty common statement from folks when I mention blogging. It’s also a pretty lame excuse for not sharing what you know and learn as you move through the world. A blog is not a puppy. It won’t wake you up and demand you write every morning. I blog when I feel like it, when I have something to say, a question to answer, or hey, a guest post to write. And, look it worked, you’re reading this. Now what do you have to say?

Jen Roberts is the co-author of Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning with Diana Neebe. She blogs at Litandtech.com and also at PlugInPowerUp.com. The short list of other things Jen does is not so short. Just go follow her on Twitter. You'll be glad you did.

Innovation - Hot Topic! What do you think?

The light bulb is sizzling!

I am reading two books currently that are igniting my interest:

• In his book, Pure Genius, Don Wettrick suggests keeping "an Innovation Idea Journal handy. [because] you never know when inspiration will hit" (38).
  
• In her book, inGenius, Tina Seelig inspires, stating "With enhanced creativity, instead of problems, you see potential, instead of obstacles, you see opportunities, and instead of challenges, you see a chance to create breakthrough solutions." 

So...I am wondering:

• What inspires you, whether as a teacher, student, parent, or person to get new ideas?
• How do you record them and follow up on them?
• How can a teacher embrace this attitude and transfer it to a student or classroom filled with students?

I'm curious what you think about these questions. Join the conversation!

Infographics - Tweet and Ye Shall Find

Understanding Infographics is an item on my personal quest list for the summer. On the same day that I added a blog post, I saw a tweet about Infographics from Kathy Schrock. The link she provided is chock full of resources, links, examples, and suggestions.

Here's the link to the site: I think I'll be nibbling at this and digesting for some time. Thanks, Kathy for all your work!

Schrock Guide: Infographics as Assessment

Easel.ly Infographic on Infographics

List of EdTech Puzzles to Solve this Summer

Here's what I'm wondering how to work or get to work better. Maybe I need a tech-mentor!

1. Periscope App
2. Voxer App and group meetings
3. iOgrapher - How does it hold my iPad mini (did I get the wrong size?)
4. DoInk green screen app on iPad 
5. Wordpress - how to tag blog posts
6. Canva - adding style to my substance
7. Infographic-mania: Which is best and why? easel.ly or glogster?
8. Twitter hacks - how to participate (not lurk) in twitter chats
9. Meme making - what is the best way to do this?
10. Google Maps - How many different curricular applications can I figure out.

I guess that is enough for me to ponder and work on for the moment...I should post some answers with resources once I figure out a few!

Summer Reading List with Links - Fun and Improvement

During the summer, I can indulge myself and read voraciously. As a now former English teacher (transitioning to an Instruction Coach next year), my school year was filled with reading papers...and rarely left eye-ball space for my own reading. Here is a list of what I've read and what I am reading this summer!

What I have read (sorry, only one book so far):

1. Ruins of War by John A. Connell
   This murder detective thriller is set in post-WWII Munich, Germany. It is a compelling and historically researched novel. It was creepy and suspenseful. If you like the era or genre, I recommend this. I couldn't put it down

What I am reading now (note that there are quite a few more in this category, as I tend to parallel read for different purposes--pleasure, education, inspiration, connection, etc):

1. Pure Genius by Don Wettrick
   I am taking a course on Project Based Learning, so picked this up after hearing about it on the Twittersphere. There are real nuggets of gold in this book...deep veins of gold ready for the grabbing. It is an easy read. Now, the trick is how to adapt his ideas and takes risks to develop the genius-level work he portrays.
   
2. inGenius: A Crash Course in Creativity by Tina Seelig
   I just started reading a Kindle version of this book yesterday: it was mentioned in Pure Genius by Don Wettrick. Here's a glimpse into Stanford University Professor Seelig's  perspective: "Without creativity we are not just condemned to a life of repetition, but to a life that slips backwards." Creativity sounds much better.
   
3. Power Up: Making the shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning by Diana Neebe and Jen Roberts
   I have had the pleasure to attending a training on blogging that Jen Roberts gave at the 2015 Cue Conference and became a fan. Imagine my surprise when my Periscope app notified me she was "periscoping" (now a verb) her session at this year's ISTE's conference, so I had the chance to attend her session online. I am still figuring this app out, but it is a cracker!
   
4. I Am Not Sick I Don't Need Help! by Xavier Amador, Ph.D.
   I am struggling with a member of my family who is diagnosed with mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. I've spent the past 15 years of my adult life learning about how to diagnose, treat, and support someone with this illness. I continue on this journey, with less control, and a deeper desire to help. Tools are important. This book provides a model: LEAP or Listen Empathize, Agree, and Plan. I sure hope I can follow the plan.

It looks like I need to add a fun book to my summer reading list!