California Educator

FEBRUARY 2010

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New strategies for a new generation “We are, as teachers, Digital Immigrants who are trying to teach Digital Natives.” Larry Rosen, whose new book Rewired: Understanding the iGeneration and the Way They Learn is due out this year, believes that education is currently at a crossroads and facing a “culture gap” because today’s generation is so very different from those who teach them. “It’s difficult right now, be- cause we have lots of teachers who have not grown up with technology teaching students who eat, sleep and breathe tech- nology,” says the California Fac- ulty Association member. “So we have to adjust our ways of teaching them.” Because they are accustomed to multitasking, says Rosen, students should be able to do so in a classroom environment. They work better that way and don’t get bored, he explains. “Making these students sit in the classroom and ‘unitask’ is not what we should be doing.” “Have them look up information online during the lecture. Have a contest to see who can find the information the fastest or information to augment the lecture mate- rial. If it’s an exam or worksheet, let them listen to music on their iPods like they do at home. That’s what they are used to, be- cause they never do homework without music and TV on.” Meet them at their level Rosen also encourages teachers to let students use outside resources and websites — such as Second Life, a virtual universe that offers users the ability to create their own world or visit worlds that others have created, such as Vassar College’s Sistine Chapel — and then have students write about their experiences and analyze them. Teachers, he says, have to meet the students on their level and allow them to use tech- nology they are familiar with. “For assignments, have them text each Larry Rosen CSU Dominguez Hills other, text the teacher, blog, form groups and do Wikis, write together online in collaboration, and cre- ate a social network. It will en- gage them in what they are do- ing. Tap into their creativity and let them do video, audio, video gaming and post their writings online. I know a teacher who let her students create MySpace pages for characters in Hamlet. Students had pictures, video and text formatted in the style of what the person would have said in Shakespearean language. They loved it and were totally engaged.” Once in a while, he says, a teacher can even let them write in “textisms” and then translate that information into regular English. Tech tips to meet the students on their level > Have them look up information online during the lecture. > Let students use outside resources and websites — such as Second Life, a virtual universe that offers users the ability to create their own world or visit worlds that others have created — and then have them write about their experiences and analyze them. > Allow them to use technology familiar to them — with exams or worksheets, let them listen to music on their iPods like they do at home. > Have a contest to see who can fi nd the information the fastest or information to augment the lecture material. “One of the best things a teacher can do is empower students in the classroom with technology,” says John Jabagchourian, as- sistant professor of child and adolescent development at San Jose State University. Continued on page 36 RIGHT: Heidi Shimamoto works with Sophia Brodsky at Dartmouth Middle School in San Jose. 18 California Educator | FEBRUARY 2010

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