Journal #3 - Who Are Today's Learners?

This article focused on the technological characteristics of students in today’s classrooms. It talked of the idea that teachers are often quick to judge their students as being “extremely techno-savvy” and also that students from low-income households are less technologically advanced than others. These ideas are followed by seven questions that are suggested to ask one’s students in order to better understand their current level of understanding in technology. I especially agreed with the suggestion that students might not be as technologically advanced as we may think, instead, it states, students are much more welcoming to technology and excited to learn and experience new things when it comes to technology. By embracing it as well as students do, we might be able to better understand and accept technology, especially in the classroom. The idea of informal learning also was brought up. This suggests that students may be more technologically advance because of their constant use of cell phones, social networking sites, and digital music. This way of learning how to use technology informally creates channel into more formal learning such as within the classroom. Lastly, students recommended that as teachers, we both engage and prepare students to use technology.

How has informal learning influenced the way you look and/or know technology?

Informal learning is a large part of how I become more technologically advanced each day. With the use of social networking sites and digital music, I am able to somewhat teach myself how to do things that I would have never dreamed of doing previously. Because of informal learning, I am much further technologically advanced than I would be without social networking sites and digital music, etc.

In what ways would you both prepare and engage your students with technology?

One way in which I would prepare my students for “the real world” using technology would be to create our own classroom social network. In this way, we could learn the appropriate uses of social networking websites and help students use them in order to further themselves after high school. One way I could engage my students would be to use computers for numerous different in-class activities. Not only does this allow students to learn different technological ideas, it also saves paper!

Greenhow, C. (2008).Who are today's learners?. Learning & Leading with Technology. 36, 16-17.