Engaging students through the technologies they use

Anyone who's forgotten their cell phone at home for the day can tell you how strange it feels to be disconnected from their device for a few hours. People often say it's like being without an appendage -- like a part of you is missing. Of course, it is not the phone itself that they miss so much, but rather the way that phone connects them to people and the world in which they live. We interact with each other through facebook, twitter, instagram, texting, facetime, and perhaps, even the occasional phone call. Most people I know only wear watches as fashion statements, because we even use our cell phones to tell time. 

These technological platforms are so well integrated into our daily routines that life without them is hardly imaginable. Is it surprising, then, that students would feel the same connection to technology? The statistics in the video below are from the early 2000's and show quite clearly, that even almost a decade ago, our students were well on their way to becoming "Digital Learners"!

As shown in the video, Pay Attention, our students, and even children under the age of 2, are using computers and looking at screens for several hours a day. They wouldn't do that if it weren't fun, interesting, or engaging for them. They would find other things to do. The level of interactivity provided by the technology we have today provides us with the opportunity to engage with communities and information in ways that can dramatically enhance education. However, there's no point in using technology in the classroom if we're not using it effectively. 

As this next video suggests, how we find information has changed drastically just in the past decade. Being able to share ideas and opinions with people you care about -- or even with people you don't know -- is a vital part of learning. Asking questions and having those questions acknowledged, or having to sort through a variety of answers, is a big part of using the internet for educational purposes, as shown in this video, The Networked Student:

The way that "21st Century Student"(in the video above) uses technology in his education is a logical extension of how the majority of people already use technology in their daily lives. We read an interesting news article and post it on facebook or twitter. Our friends and  the people in our communities respond with their opinions or post other articles that either add support or offer another perspective. People who have different backgrounds and experiences can engage with each other on topics that interest them. Reading the comments section on just about anything posted online will illustrate the importance of learning how to engage critically and thoughtfully with the viewpoints that others share in these forums. These are the kinds of skill for "real life" that education is supposed to provide!