Post 1 Digital Natives/Net Gen - T. Blatt EDU 610

Sunday, February 13, 2011, 11:45 AM

This concept was so enlightening to me.  I am not a Net Gener, and technology is something I have tolerated rather than embraced.  The idea that people can prefer and even flourish with so much technology happening around them at the same time is mind-boggling to me. After reading the first 2 chapters of Educating the Net Generation I had an "ah-ha" moment that the way I think and learn is not the way that Digital Natives and Net Geners learn, and I will be doing a great disservice to students/staff that I work with if I don't begin to embrace the technology that is available to us. I grew up with teachers that had little or no technology available to use, and that is what I am used to or comfortable with.  In Chapter 2 under the heading of "Interaction" there are two sentences that state: "Students do best when they actively construct their own knowledge.  In addition, there is a positive correlation between interaction and student retention."   I quickly realized from this reading that teachers are doing a great disservice to their students when they try to have their brains functioning at the much slower process of lecture/no technology than if they would have them actively engaged to the fullest capacity possible with the technology they do have available. I have also had to question my thoughts about technology in reference to how I am currently parenting my 9 and 12 year olds.  As I have said, I am not comfortable with technology and I could tell you all the pitfalls of technology that you should be worried about - online predators, legal issues that could occur due to inappropriate posts, family members becoming distant from each other due to reverting to electronic interactions rather than personal communication - and I have made decisions about the amount of technology that my children can have based on those fears.   What I am realizing now is I am potentially handicapping my children because the world of technology is moving quickly around them and I am refusing to allow them to participate in most of those avenues.   My children are part of the Net Generation, but I am stunting their knowledge and growth with technology because of my fears for their safety. This first week's readings were so enlightening to me!  I have a lot of work to do in order to get on board with embracing technology - but I am so excited about it.