Are the learners of today very different from learners in the past? I think it really depends on when you yourself was a student in public education. It hasn't been quite that long since I was roaming the halls of Andress High School in El Paso, less than two decades ago. We didn't have the technology that exists today, but we did many of the same things. Students today spend a great deal of time on social networking and websites. It has been found that students are spending just as much time if not more on the computer than watching TV. We use to social network when I was a teen for hours but it was through the telephone and the use of three way calling. You were not in unless you had call waiting and a three-way line. We faced many of the pressures that teens face today, but one of the major differences is the amount of information that is available to the students of today. We learned from older students and the grapevine. All students have to do nowadays is go to Google. It is impossible to keep students from the information so we are going to have to find ways to teach student how to harness the power of the information that is easily accessible. Parents need more information about how to protect their children from the dangers that exist in the digital world. It never dawned on me that my child would create a Facebook page, but she did without my knowledge or consent. Then again, I never told her she couldn't. Instead I should have explain the ramification of putting too much personal information out for people to see and the potential dangers. Schools are constantly looking for ways to reach out to the community in order to increase parental involvement. Creating information sessions for parents about the latest fads such as Facebook, Twitter, and sexting, and ways to be more involved in their child's use of technology could prove to be very beneficial. We have to be more involved in the lives of our students; the potential for danger is just a click away. Take a look at this story about a teen that committed suicide a result of sexting. We have to be more proactive than ever.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29546030
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I agree Liz, the primary concerns and curiosities of teenagers today is no different today than it was for myself over a decade ago - except for the method of research :) How scary is it to think about the dangers when you remember your reactions to your own parents' warnings. Really, I know I am not alone when I say, "I knew it ALL!" Even when I had only had the grapevine to back me up - I "knew" more than my parents. So heeds to their warnings were few and far between. Most teens still feel this way - if not even more - because they have the internet to back them. Teens today can construct a much more convincing argument than we could back in the day. Parents def need to prepare themselve to defend their stance. Where there is a pro online there is always a con somewhere. Our teens need to be taught how to use the internet. They find bogus sites with horrible info and advice and think that it's the word of God becuase its published in black and white. WRONG! We have to teach them about the credibility of websites and how to find trustworthy information.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! I don't think kids are so different from the way I was at their age. They think they are, but then, again, so did I. I think kids have experienced more things, today, and are exposed to more things than in the past. I must admit, the things I over hear my students discuss, don't shock me at all. Our kiddos have access to so much information, now! What mom and dad won't discuss,the internet will. I used to laugh when I overheard parents blaming music for the downfall of children's morals, when I was growing up. If my mom knew what I really knew about sex, drugs,and alcohol, she would have sentenced me to my room, until I graduated from high school. The things I see and hear from students are things that their families should be discussing with them. Kids experiment with things that they have heard about, read online, or received via a text message and they don't ever hear about the ramifications. It's so sad that churches and families continue avoid discussing the tough issues with children. Our students want information about the things they experience, read about, hear about, and talk about. Since adults refuse to gather the courage to discuss issues with them, they are subjected to their peers' perspectives, opinions, and are exploited by irresponsible adults online. As a society, we cannot continue to silence dialogue about uncomfortable issues. We have to take the responsibility to educate our children about social issues because predators are lurking everywhere. Not only must we educate our children, we must take the time to educate ourselves about technology, trends, behaviors, and the language of our children. We can no longer live in ignorance!
ReplyDeleteGreat insight and I agree with you. Today as an adminstrator I felt so helpless in dealing with a student who got into a fight with another student and then found the fight posted on the internet along with mean comments. As administrator, I've always felt secure in dealing with student issues, but today I felt helpless........
ReplyDeleteWe need to become more familiar with all the electronic mediums that students use today.
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