I have officially "out-teched" a digital native! Who would have thought? I have a nicer phone than my 14 year-old. I was always scared of the more techy phones, not wanting to put the energy in learning all "that stuff." My free flip phone was just fine with me, thank you very much!
Now, I own the latest phone from my provider and have introduced my 14 year-old to Skype, Jing, and Gcast. It feels so great to teach HER something!
It also has built a bond between us now that I am speaking her language. If teachers would embrace the digital native buried within them, they too would experience a different connection with their students, which could blossom into something great!
Uncertainty
14 years ago
My son has made a connection with his art teacher because she allows them to use their cell phones in class. In one of her projects, she asked them to take pictures of a flower blooming, kinda like a time-lapse photography. Then they were asked to enhance or distort their pictures in Photoshop. He just thought it was cool that she was actually letting them use their phones, even when the handbook says – NO PHONES IN SCHOOL.
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful! I hope that I get to train about using cellphones in the classroom soon. It can be such a powerful tool!
ReplyDeleteglad you were able to out-tech your daughter, it's nice to do sometime, isn't it? great post by the way, i think it is your best yet. not that your others weren't but this one seemed very authentic/natural.
ReplyDeleteas far as cell phones go, since "in" the classroom is problematic to say the least, why not focus on teaching about what cell phones can do "outside" the classrooms. i'm with you about using the powers in class, but if we can show them how they can be used as tools they can make use of those features outside class for the completion of the same tasks.
I understand your fear about the time it takes to acclimate oneself to new technology. I think that's part of the problem with folks. We're so used to being adults who know what we're doing that we forget that it's OK to not know what you're doing, and try it anyway, until it starts to become comfortable. Of course, once one thing starts to feel comfortable, it's past time to take on another new one in these days of rapid technological growth. On the other hand, according to the research I've read, kids don't mind the feelings of unease with technology. They just plunge in knowing that there's a reward in learning a new techie app or tool that's worth the discomfort of the initial learning curve. Actually, I think they're always in the flux of multiple technology learning curves. I just wish we could sell them on academic learning the same way. Wouldn't that produce a world filled with scholars?
ReplyDeletekaren - i love how you put it - the idea of knowing what you're doing. i'll take it a step further if you ALWAYS know what you're doing, you're not putting yourself in situations to learn, hence you really DON'T know what you're doing.
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