As a teacher (or rather a learning process facilitator), I found the article by Marc Prensky (published in 2005), Listen to the natives, very interesting and also challenging. I attempt to give a short review of it here - I hope it encourages the readers of this blog to look for the article and also an earlier one by the same author entitled, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.
Prensky describes the current students as 'digital natives' who are quite different from the educators, the majority of whom he describes as 'digital immigrants'. The latter, unlike the former, were not born into the digital world. He states that the current educators have slid into the 21st century (digital age) carrying with them the 'digital immigrant' accent and doing things the old way. The old way of doing things is a language that the 'digital natives' do not quite understand!
Prensky argues therefore that, to be relevant to the students ('digital natives'), the educators of today ought to listen to the students. He proposed some things that should be considered by the educators / teachers.
1-The teachers should shift gears and incorporate students knowledge and information acquired outside class in their digital lives. The teachers should also establish, by asking students, how relevant / applicable / related the information / knowledge gained in class is to the students' (digital) lives. The shift in gears should also include encouraging students to form study groups.
2-Engagement and motivation being true prerequisites for learning (as judged by Prensky), teachers ought to engage students in the (students') 21st century way. Since digital / computer games play an important role in engaging the students, designing digital games for learning would engage students in the learning process.
3-Collaborating with students through involving them in decision-making on issues that affect the learning process goes a long way in providing educators / teachers with solutions or clues to solutions to many of the thorniest education problems. The students therefore ought to be involved in discussion about curriculum, teaching methods, school organisation, discipline and assignments.
4-There is need for some flexibility on the part of teachers for example avoidance of herding (involuntarily assigning students to classes or groups). Instead of herding, adoption and adaption of one-to-one personalised instruction and providing the opportunity for students to self-select during grouping are some of the proposed alternatives.
5-Incorporation and integration of digital tools in the teaching methods / learning process e.g. Cell phones. Cell phones have very many capabilities (with several emerging ones) that can be harnessed to make them appropriate learning tools. Some countries are already using Cell phones as learning tools e.g. UK, China, Japan, Philippines, etc.
6-Since programmability is a characteristic of the digital technology, the approaches and curricula for programming courses ought to be made available to all (students) to learn and use instead of teachers taking matters into their hands i.e. creating and conducting the teaching of programming courses at prescribed times. Besides, the teachers ought to consider involving students in teaching their peers and also involving outside volunteer experts.
7-A shift from "legacy" curricula towards "future" curricula to provide more room to cover subject matter such as nanotechnology, bioethics, genetic medicine, and neuroscience ought to be considered. Involvement of experts in these fields in preparation of content tailored to students' needs and delivered through 21st century tools is essential.
8-There are two halves of students' education institution: the formal 'school' half and the informal 'after school' half. While the former is becoming an increasingly moribund and irrelevant institution, the latter is technology-rich hence expectedly busier and ought to be integrated with life in school. It is sad to note that some of the technologies used by the students 'after school' are not known to many teachers and administrators!
9-Prensky recommends a student survey of technology use. To stress the significance of this, he states, "If we don't stop and listen to the kids we serve, value their opinions, and make major changes on the basis of the valid suggestions they offer, we will be left in the 21st century with school buildings to administer - but with students who are physically or mentally somewhere else."
Prensky, a US-based teacher, shared these thoughts in 2005. I, a Uganda-based teacher, reviewed the article in 2008. I do not know when you are reading it and from where but what I know is that Prensky wrote it based on his US experience. What remains for me and you is to find out whether and how the above thoughts apply / may apply in our environment. Just like I will do, please share your thoughts with us.
Find Prensky's article here.
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