Oh Yeah...Oh Yeah...Oh Yeah...I did it.....I did it....I did it....Oh Yeah...Oh Yeah.
Right now you probably think I am a crazy 40 plus year old lunatic. However, to all you people who I used to call a computer geek (I realise now that YOU are actually normal and I was the geek who didn't know). I would like to say that I am just elated and so happy that something I have just done on a computer that was more than just words, numbers or printing actually worked.
Believe it or not, this is quite fun. I am loving it.
Now that I have that out of my system, I need to address a more serious side to this blog with reflection to the articles in the learning materials and in particular by Prensky.
I agree with Prensky that the single biggest problem facing education today is that "our Digital Immigrant instructors," (Like Me - Mick Busby) "(who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age)," (Once again - currently like me - Mick Busby), "are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language."
I have a 9 year old child who wanted an itunes voucher for her birthday. "Why not", thought my wife and I - how easy is that for a gift. Until............ "Hey dad - can you help me download these songs that I want to buy and then put them on my ipod........PAUSE............Suddenly this gift became my headache for about 2 weeks whilst I made up excuses why I couldn't possibly do it as I always had something that was more important. The truth was - I didn't know how.
In reality I wasn't being fair and in all seriousness, if I don't look into learning this new language - by that, I mean a digital language (or at least improving my current knowledge of it), then I am not being fair to the students who I will teach.
Sure, I know I would still have something to offer, but is that enough in today's society. I don't think so. I know I need to work on my "accent" as Prensky would put it and if I can, (I can...I can...I can), I believe I can be better accepted by these digitally native students of today and help them become better role models for the next and future generations of even further advanced digitally native students of tomorrow.
Prensky also commented, "Today's teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students." Just like our own teachers have had to do with us.
In reality what Prensky is preaching here is not entirely new. Teachers have been adapting for years, however what I believe he is emphasising is that when it comes to today's technology its a bit like being on a bus a driving through the town of....say Comet....(to use as an example - no disrespect intended), blink and you will miss it.
If you fall behind it may just take a long time to catch back up. I just hope I can catch it and then aim to always stay in front.
Excellent post Mick. Your reflections around some of Prensky's ideas will become stronger when you actually start rubbibg shoulders with teachers in schools. You may start to see who is trying to implement their "accent" while others are not.
ReplyDeleteHow do you think this will affect you?
Hi Mick,
ReplyDeleteLoved your post. I just finished setting up my blog with just a Hi everyone post so far. I am planning on posting my reflections tomorrow but can relate to the elation you feel when something tech works! well done. I am just as excited to work out how to reply on your blog.