EDIM 508 Unit 1 Summary Posting

Media Minds: Students Use of Media Today

Ive enjoyed reading your discussions this week. I hope that the readings have better opened your mind to the
use of digital media and technological resources in education. Id like to highlight some outstanding thoughts
from this weeks discussion.

Amy- Throughout trainings and workshops, especially this past year, I am hearing this same
message loud and clear - we need to rise to the students new level of learning and meet them with vivid, rapidpaced lessons full of engagement that allow for immediate feedback. We cannot expect todays students to sit
quietly through a lecture style lesson presume total engagement and learning to take place.

Angela- With the millions of online and digital tools and media made
accessible to children, I feel silly even having to ask these questions. Learning should
not be confined within the four walls of the classroom. Why wouldnt you want to take
your students on a journey, every single day, talk to people from the other side of the
world, read them your stories and learn about their lives?

Catherine- We, the teachers, need to be kept up to date on things so we can do our best to teach
these students, the Digital Natives. Again, I feel like in my building K-2 are left to teach our students in more of
the Digital Immigrant ways. We are still doing things step-by-step and at a slower pace, but that is also
because our students sometimes need that to understand things. However, after the readings, I wonder if they
had some sort of technology to better engage and aid them if they would need less of that step by step and could
handle going more quickly.

Hannah Teachers know that students multi-task with different types of media - the debate lies in
whether multi-tasking is an effective practice for our students. Does multi-tasking (i.e. listening to music while
writing a paper) diminish the quality of the cognitive task (writing the paper), or enhance it? Perhaps digital
natives are enhanced and energized by all of the media usage they encounter throughout the day, and the
digital immigrants are reluctant to admit this because they themselves personally struggle with media/digital
inundation. I'm not sure of the answer to this question at the moment.

Jessica- As educators we will not be able to limit the amount of time students spend using them, so
we will need to incorporate them more into our lessons and show students responsible ways of using media.
Teachers are fighting a losing battle against the screen and we need to be ready and willing to use any means
necessary to engage our students. As someone really smart once said, "if you can't beat 'em, you might as well
join 'em."

Kathryn- Media is what interests todays students and keeps them

engaged. As educators, we need to adapt to these changes and use the
technologies to aid our students learning. Educators who are digital
immigrants often think its best to put their foot down and continue to teach the
traditional way, but it is only making education less meaningful to students.

Kevin- My main point is that our perspective of our youth is not very different than what was
thought of us by our elders. As new methods evolve, we are always going to be sceptical. It is in our nature to
fear change. The ability to persevere, the grace to admit failure, and the ability to adapt have alway remained
in the classroom. I realize that I need to be more doubtful in my superiority. My way of thinking is no better
than my students. Their minds may work a little faster, they may expect things to come to them quicker, and
their focus is spread out on different tasks. Yet, what needs to change is my delivery, my expectations on
failure, and my perception of technology as a potential positive. We cannot deny the negatives of
overstimulation with mindless media activities. However, we can adapt our methods to accept our clientele
and teach to them in a way that suits their needs. It was done for us when we were students, and the cycle will
continue, but it will certainly look different. Rightfully so.

Kheila- I often have to step back and think about what I feel like when I am in a new situation or
experiencing something for the first time. It can be overwhelming and uncomfortable. So while it makes sense to
me that our students are connected well beyond the classroom and are the ones driving the instruction, it may
be uncomforable for others. I am very interested in supporting our teachers with their personal professional
goals by offering support and through a co-teaching model.

Krista- I respect my students tremendously and how they learn. I

know that as an educator I need to teach them as digital natives but I will move
forward on that journey with slight caution and care in an effort to provide
balance in their lives. As I continue to learn, I am certain that my viewpoint may
change, as it already has in the past couple of years as I integrate technology
into my curriculum more and more.

Lindsey- As teachers of digital natives, we have to change the content, the process, AND the
products that we teach and expect from our students. The 21st century skills that they will be expected to know
and perform in the jobs that have yet to be created are skills that we are only just learning ourselves. The
priorities must shift. This is hard in the current state of standardized testing and evaluations. It's truly a mindboggling transformation of an entire educational system that has not even yet begun to take priority.

Michelle- Yes, we will be behind, and that can be stressful. Yes, change is a reality that can be
frightening. The present is changing so fast that the future is completely unknown, and that fact can be
frightening. But it is far less frightening to our students. To them, thats just the way the world is, and its all
they know. As digital immigrants, we must have faith in the digital natives. If we trust them, I believe they will
show us the way.