As a member of the Millennial
generation, I find some common ground with the students of today. I remember sitting in my undergraduate
college classes watching a professor write on a chalk board thinking, “What is
this guy doing??” As a middle school teacher,
I understand that the “Stand and deliver” style of instruction is not effective
for our students. Death by PowerPoint is
becoming a problem of the past with our fast paced new environment. Our students need engagement and collaboration. These students expect quick feedback and need
class to move at a rapid pace. Sitting
in a desk for 55 minutes straight is not appropriate for the students of today.
One of
the things that I do not see as much from the students of the Generation Edge
is the digital doubting that is spoken about in the “Close to the Edge”
article. It could be the age group I’m
teaching, but my students do not keep much private. Internet safety and a desire for face-to-face communication isn't as strong as they stated in that article.
The
Prensky article was accurate in describing today’s students as digital
natives. However, I do not feel like a
digital immigrant. I may not have had
access to a computer my entire life like my students have, but I remember the technology
becoming a large part of my life once it made it there.
