The Did You Know video was extremely informative. A few of the points that I found very important were that "today's learners will have 10 to 14 jobs by their 38th birthday" and that many of today's college majors did not exist 10 years ago.
I tend to wonder why our learners will have 10 to 14 jobs by their 38th birthday - is this symbolic of a "throwaway society" or is it an example of that if one is not gratified instantaneously, one picks up and leaves in a quest of something which is more appealing? I often wonder if our learners will be ready to handle the real world and real problems because solutions to problems may not always be a keystroke away.
I don't want to come across as one who disagrees with technology and its place in the classroom - I support technology in the classroom, innovative tools which enhance our quality of life, etc. but I sometimes wonder if there has to be more of a balance of both. Our learners hunger for technology - the question is why - is it easier to get an answer with the stroke of a key or think for yourself. I have three of my own children. They all have computers, ipods, cell phones, and at times I see them reaching for the key board to find an answer rather than looking in a book - it is easier to use google than to look it up!
One of the other points (and there were many great points in this video) that I found interesting is that many of today's college majors did not exist 10 years ago. The fact is many of the jobs that our kids will have are not yet even "invented". Currently, scientist are experimenting with spider DNA and injecting it into cows to see if spider webs can be produced from cow milk. Some spider webs have been made from DNA injected cows but the technology to perfect this is still evolving!
It is believed that Kevlar - a light weight product produced by DuPont and is used for bullet proof vests, is the strongest material on earth - stronger than steel - but the truth is " spider silk is one of the 7 great wonders of the animal kingdom. That a small animal, often less than a millimeter across can make a substance that we humans with all our technology are unable to reproduce, a substance that is tough, stronger and more flexible than anything else we can make is surely a humble reminder of the fact that Nature created us and not the other way around"(http://www.earthlife.net/chelicerata/silk.html)
"Spider silk is extremely strong -- it is about five times stronger than steel and twice as strong as Kevlar of the same weight. Spider silk also has the ability to stretch about 30-percent longer than its original length without breaking, which makes it very resilient." (http://www.howstuffworks.com/question87.html)
Isn't it amazing that our learners will be scientists producing spider webs from cows milk. The material produced can save police and military lives. These are jobs that we would never imagine but are just around the corner!
This image was uploaded from www.gifs.net
you mentioned in your thoughts that "at times I see them (your children) reaching for the key board to find an answer rather than looking in a book - it is easier to use google than to look it up!"
ReplyDeleteI ask you, what's the difference? If the Web wasn't there, isn't it likely that they wouldn't even bother looking things up? We have to embrace the Web, it's not going anywhere and in fact it only getting bigger and more valuable.
I am well aware that the web is not going any where and is going to be bigger and more valuable than it is now - having an undergrad in computer science I am well aware of technology and all of its positive implications, however, having my own children for twenty plus years I do see how they and the children I teach (not all of course) cannot stay focused or spend enough time achieving a level of mastery in the subjects they are being taught. One would not see this as a problem in subjects which are not skill driven - but try teaching math in the 8th to students where mastery is not achieved and instant gratification is what is desired. I imagine if the Web was not there they would have to look it up such as the millions of students before them. Of course - this is my opinion - I do "embrace the Web" and find it to be very valuable - but any suggestions on how to teach 8th graders math who expect answers and knowledge to be obtained instantaneously would be appreciated!
ReplyDeleteGreat conversation and ideas.
ReplyDeleteOften, I find myself "too reliant" on technology. I "Google" just about everything and anything. Between my laptop, phone, iPod, GPS, I think my life revolves around it. However, I completely agree with your statement, "I sometimes wonder if there has to be more of a balance of both." What happens if Google goes down... what would we do? Yet, will it realistically ever go down forever?
I wish I had the answer on how to motivate 8th grade math students to learn in a traditional manner, but I don't. Yet, I think using projects like WebQuests and podcasts can promote the use technology in a way where they can use the traditional math skills to create 2009-like projects.
Keep the discussion going....