Listen, but please do not Limit yourself to Native Thinking!!
Mark Presnky makes a compelling argument stating that if teachers in the 21st century do not start listening to their students they will in fact loose them. His argument is that many teachers today are using 20th century methods to reach 21st century students. Kids are coming to school at 7am and checking out mentally until 3pm. He makes the argument that teachers must regain students by teaching in their own native language, technology. Is Presnky correct that technology and playing video games is the cure all to the education woes? In this article I will detail Presnky’s suggestions for the education system and then finally give my analysis of his argument.
The author calls students of the 21st century natives and that we as teachers from the 20th century are only immigrants. Often teachers teach in their own native tongue, how they were taught growing up. This is difficult for students to engage; the teacher must adjust to learning from the students in order to best gain their attention. The author speaks about doing this in several ways.
Presnky says that collaboration will help us reach the students education goals. He says in the article Listen to the Natives, “We can no longer decide for our students; we must decide with them, as strange as that may feel too many of us.” He talks about allowing students to be part of the designing curriculum process; maybe they can build a webpage or use technology in some other fashion. Let them take more ownership in their education and allow the teacher to facilitate it.
Another method that is proposed to helping the educational system is “flex organization.” Students today are herded from class to class and this method is not conducive to learning. Two ways that will help with this are one on one instruction and self select learning groups. Obviously it is impossible for each student to get one on one attention with the number of students growing at such an alarming rate, but one way this is possible is by video games. Video games are made to capture the attention and if algebra could be put on a video game it would greatly increase learning. Also with self select, kids will be encouraged to learn in small groups with their friends. Let them choose friends to hold them accountable and help in the learning process. These flexible methods will augment learning.
Using the technological tools that students are accustomed to also should engage students into learning. There are educational systems overseas that are already implementing cell phones in the learning of the students. Kids are transmitting homework over their phones so the teachers may evaluate them. By using cell phones, digital cameras, the internet and other digital “toys” students will be more inclined to learn.
Mark Presnky concludes Listen to the Natives by warning of the looming utter failure of the current education system. He says, “If we don't stop and listen to the kids we serve, value their opinions, and make major changes on the basis of the valid suggestions they offer, we will be left in the 21st century with school buildings to administer—but with students who are physically or mentally somewhere else.”
Is Mark Presnky correct in his interpretation of why the current education system is failing to engage students? I have to wander if there is any research to suggest that students are now less interested in school than they were 30 years ago. I was obviously a student of 20th century and I do not ever remember being interested in school and do not know if there was much my teachers could have done. My interests were sports and school was just a necessary path to fulfill my goals of playing those sports in college and Lord willing farther. Is it possible to fit the educational curriculum around each student’s limited interests?
Presnky seems to make the argument that students are solely interested in technology for technology itself and that technology will drastically help learning. I wander if that is wholly correct. Do not 21st century students use technology for their individual interests? Some use technology to talk to their friends, others for video games, others for sports or to study other various passions. I do not think technology in itself is the answer.
It seems like Mark Presnky continually offers a cure all for every student by using video games as if video games was something every student was interested in. Are all students interested in video games? I wander if video gaming is sometimes more gender specific? I remember being a kid who enjoyed video games but I do not remember the girls coming over to play games with us. It seemed many times they were more interested in talking and communion. Do not husbands often get in trouble with their wives because they are playing too many video games?
I am sure that there are many females that do enjoy video games as well as males who do not (me being one of them). I know that reading for some students would be more advantageous than being on the computer. I am sure that others would prefer human contact and discussion over typing on some keys or playing with a joystick. Video games surely are not the answer and neither are cell phones for that matter.
I do think that using technology will enhance learning but only in the vein that a teacher that uses a variety of methods is more likely to hit more learning styles. Education is just like life there will always be new fads and many times the young are often times too zealous to jump on the newest “band wagon.” Lecture is still needed, discussion is needed, group work is needed, research, memorization, technology and any other creative method that may stimulate the brain.
I personally am becoming a little discusted at all this narrow minded thinking, “Lecture does not work! Memorization is not the way to go; they can learn it on the Internet!!” These people have just not been watching the film of life; all fads tend to come back around. Fads are for kids. I prefer what a wise man named Bruce Lee once said, “Never limit yourself to one style.” This is what I would add to Mark Presnky’s article “Listen to the Natives but don’t limit yourself to their thinking it will change.”
Resources
http://www.ascd.org/authors/ed_lead/el200512_prensky.html
Mark Presnky makes a compelling argument stating that if teachers in the 21st century do not start listening to their students they will in fact loose them. His argument is that many teachers today are using 20th century methods to reach 21st century students. Kids are coming to school at 7am and checking out mentally until 3pm. He makes the argument that teachers must regain students by teaching in their own native language, technology. Is Presnky correct that technology and playing video games is the cure all to the education woes? In this article I will detail Presnky’s suggestions for the education system and then finally give my analysis of his argument.
The author calls students of the 21st century natives and that we as teachers from the 20th century are only immigrants. Often teachers teach in their own native tongue, how they were taught growing up. This is difficult for students to engage; the teacher must adjust to learning from the students in order to best gain their attention. The author speaks about doing this in several ways.
Presnky says that collaboration will help us reach the students education goals. He says in the article Listen to the Natives, “We can no longer decide for our students; we must decide with them, as strange as that may feel too many of us.” He talks about allowing students to be part of the designing curriculum process; maybe they can build a webpage or use technology in some other fashion. Let them take more ownership in their education and allow the teacher to facilitate it.
Another method that is proposed to helping the educational system is “flex organization.” Students today are herded from class to class and this method is not conducive to learning. Two ways that will help with this are one on one instruction and self select learning groups. Obviously it is impossible for each student to get one on one attention with the number of students growing at such an alarming rate, but one way this is possible is by video games. Video games are made to capture the attention and if algebra could be put on a video game it would greatly increase learning. Also with self select, kids will be encouraged to learn in small groups with their friends. Let them choose friends to hold them accountable and help in the learning process. These flexible methods will augment learning.
Using the technological tools that students are accustomed to also should engage students into learning. There are educational systems overseas that are already implementing cell phones in the learning of the students. Kids are transmitting homework over their phones so the teachers may evaluate them. By using cell phones, digital cameras, the internet and other digital “toys” students will be more inclined to learn.
Mark Presnky concludes Listen to the Natives by warning of the looming utter failure of the current education system. He says, “If we don't stop and listen to the kids we serve, value their opinions, and make major changes on the basis of the valid suggestions they offer, we will be left in the 21st century with school buildings to administer—but with students who are physically or mentally somewhere else.”
Is Mark Presnky correct in his interpretation of why the current education system is failing to engage students? I have to wander if there is any research to suggest that students are now less interested in school than they were 30 years ago. I was obviously a student of 20th century and I do not ever remember being interested in school and do not know if there was much my teachers could have done. My interests were sports and school was just a necessary path to fulfill my goals of playing those sports in college and Lord willing farther. Is it possible to fit the educational curriculum around each student’s limited interests?
Presnky seems to make the argument that students are solely interested in technology for technology itself and that technology will drastically help learning. I wander if that is wholly correct. Do not 21st century students use technology for their individual interests? Some use technology to talk to their friends, others for video games, others for sports or to study other various passions. I do not think technology in itself is the answer.
It seems like Mark Presnky continually offers a cure all for every student by using video games as if video games was something every student was interested in. Are all students interested in video games? I wander if video gaming is sometimes more gender specific? I remember being a kid who enjoyed video games but I do not remember the girls coming over to play games with us. It seemed many times they were more interested in talking and communion. Do not husbands often get in trouble with their wives because they are playing too many video games?
I am sure that there are many females that do enjoy video games as well as males who do not (me being one of them). I know that reading for some students would be more advantageous than being on the computer. I am sure that others would prefer human contact and discussion over typing on some keys or playing with a joystick. Video games surely are not the answer and neither are cell phones for that matter.
I do think that using technology will enhance learning but only in the vein that a teacher that uses a variety of methods is more likely to hit more learning styles. Education is just like life there will always be new fads and many times the young are often times too zealous to jump on the newest “band wagon.” Lecture is still needed, discussion is needed, group work is needed, research, memorization, technology and any other creative method that may stimulate the brain.
I personally am becoming a little discusted at all this narrow minded thinking, “Lecture does not work! Memorization is not the way to go; they can learn it on the Internet!!” These people have just not been watching the film of life; all fads tend to come back around. Fads are for kids. I prefer what a wise man named Bruce Lee once said, “Never limit yourself to one style.” This is what I would add to Mark Presnky’s article “Listen to the Natives but don’t limit yourself to their thinking it will change.”
Resources
http://www.ascd.org/authors/ed_lead/el200512_prensky.html
