Reviewing "How
Do [They] Even Do That?": How Today's Technology is Shaping Tomorrow's
Students”
This
presentation focuses a new college student named Elizabeth. Throughout the
PowerPoint, we see how technology has changed and grown along with Elizabeth. Here, I highlight some of the more important
points and make some of my own conclusions.
For the full PowerPoint presentation please click here - http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/04/09/how-do-they-even-do-that-how-todays-technology-is-shaping-tomorrows-students/
As Internet and
technology have evolved, more people are becoming “connected”- connected to
information in many different formats.
In the time span
of 12 years, usage of the Internet connectivity and electronic devices has
increased greatly.
According to the
presentation, in 2012, 82% of adults reported regular use of the Internet.
Compare that to only 46% percent in the year 2000. This may be a result of
faster Internet speeds and availability. Users are now more likely to own cell
phones and other electronic devices. The number of users who connect wirelessly
has also increased as advances in technology and connectivity have been made.
Shifting back to
today’s teens, it is becoming increasing clear that they are using social
networking to build relationships. These relationships include local people as
well as people they have never before met and are not close to in terms of
physical location. In many cases, new college freshmen will research their
prospective roommate(s) to determine whether their personalities will be
compatible. Others use Facebook to build relationships with potential friends
that will be attending the same college before the school year has even
started. Incoming freshmen connect with
potential “friends” to ensure they are part of a social group that shares the
same values and ideas as themselves. In this way, they begin to separate
themselves from other students. These students also look to Facebook and social
media sites to connect with their family and friends back at home.
Teens are
searching for ways to learn independently, thus turning the Internet into their
preferred educational tool. The Internet provides learners with an unstructured
learning experience that allows them to modify learning to their own needs.
Schools are
beginning to adapt to meet the growing need for technology in the classroom. Many
school encourage students to bring their own devices to connect to the Internet.
Students are using cell phone, tablets, and e-readers to complete class
assignments, participate in discussions, and record video or take photos.
The flipped
classroom is further spurring changes in the way students learn. A flipped
classroom is one where the learner is at the center of instruction – often
creating a product or participating in an activity. This puts the teacher on
the sidelines as more of a guide to learning.
Many teachers
are concerned that this mass amount of information available on the Internet is
overwhelming learners and creating a generation of easily distracted students.
However, learns will continue to dictate how they receive information, and it
is up to teachers to instruct students how to correctly use these power tools
and sort through information.
Personal thoughts
Today’s teachers
have a choice. They can either fight new technologies and the Internet, or they
can embrace the positive aspects of these changes and attempt to adequately
prepare learners for the future. I personally, want to adapt and evolve along
with technology and my students. Teachers must guide students in developing
best practices and 21st century skills. To not change would truly
create a divide among learners and teachers.
43 pages
Lenhart, A.
(2013, April 9). ‘How do they even do that?’: How Today’s Technology is Shaping
Tomorrow’s Students. Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS.
Retrieved June 25, 2014, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/04/09/how-do-they-even-do-that-how-todays-technology-is-shaping-tomorrows-students/
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