Arguement: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

“Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” As I was reading the article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” by Marc Prenzy; one of the main topics he discusses in his article is about not being afraid of re-inventing certain topics. When it comes to teachers; there are certain teachers that say this is impossible to teach unless I give an hour lecture about the history of Africa. Prenzy says that, “…we have to invent, but not necessarily from scratch. Adapting materials to the language of Digital Natives has already been done successfully.” He believes that when you are “…teaching Digital Natives…invent computer games” to get the work done even if its “…for the most serious content.” Which I agree with, sometimes it takes a little imagination in order to bring something that tends to be so boring to most of us that are Digital Natives more interesting. Plus as a teacher, isn't boring to teach the same thing, exactly the same way, over and over again? Yes I am sure it might be time consuming to try to recreate something that appeals to the upcoming digital natives. Although, wouldn’t it be great if the students in class are actually eager to learn in class? Prenzy presents it as, “Similar rethinking…” that “…needs to be applied to all subjects at all levels.” This includes Education and the workplace. Prenzy brought up an interesting fact about how for many students the subject Geography is very boring and outdated and a lot of memorization involved. Although as he mentions “…there is no reason that a generation that can memorize over 100 Pokémon characters with all their characteristics, history and evolution cannot learn the names, populations, capitals, and relationships of all the 101 nations in the world. It just depends on how it is presented.”

 

I was reading this article by John Page and thought it would be a great way to summarize why Prenzy and I think its crucial to incorporate Technology in Education.

The Ten Fundamental Reasons

for technology in education

 

 

Reflection: Child Labor and the Social Construction of Childhood

 If we truly realized how privileged we are,especially when we were kids we would appreciate life much more. Seeing each of the pictures from the article “Child Labor and the Social Construction of Childhood” one by one made me feel extremely hurt. It is sad to know that there are many children in the world today that are treated as if they are “useless human beings”. That is what it honestly makes me feel, because in order for someone to be 100% fine with this type of treatment is astounding. I felt it even more after class when my classmates and I brainstormed about what it is to be a kid? What does it mean to have a childhood? To many of us we felt that it was playing Barbie’s, or playing tag, maybe even sitting around a table with family and playing a game of monopoly on family nights. 

When I saw the boy from Indianapolis getting paid $.75 an hour and how he started work at 6am that broke my heart. It was extremely sad to see how these kids were mistreated, and doing jobs that were very dangerous for their age. I also felt heart broken when I realized that most of them could not go to school because they were so tired from their jobs. It is sad how it took people in congress about 38 years for the “Fair Labor Standards Act” to pass in order for the children to receive some sort of protection. It is strange how even though, “Children working in Factories or mines were redefined as inappropriate and even exploitative and cruel…” they still allowed it to occur.

Why Blog?

 

 

 

 

1. A limitless way of communicating with others.
Especially loved ones if distance separates you.
You can learn about the world through it
The options of hypertext, links, formal writing and videos are all available through blogging. It connects to the future of learning better than using traditional methods.
It’s always there and you can see your progression.    

 

                                                                            

                                   

About me

Hi my name is Veronica Gomez. I was born in Queens, NY until I was in 6th grade. I moved to Kissimmee, FL when I was in 7th grade. Then I moved to RI when I was in 8th grade. So I guess you can say I never had a middle school experience. I am majoring in Youth Development and have a minor in English. I am a PASS worker for Seven Hills Foundation which is basically almost like a social worker. I meet with a client and we basically go over a plan that the clinician wrote.