Nick Leiser E-mail: asnal2@uaa.alaska.edu 2-20-08
Article Title: Listen to the Natives; Author: Marc Prensky
Article Title: Listen to the Natives; Author: Marc Prensky
Article Overview:
“Listen to the Natives” talks about how our educational system is behind the times. New technological capabilities have given us the opportunity to make education a lot more engaging, individualized and effective. The problem is that many teachers do not know how to use these new technologies. An education that does not include technology is failing to prepare our students for the world they are living in.
“Listen to the Natives” talks about how our educational system is behind the times. New technological capabilities have given us the opportunity to make education a lot more engaging, individualized and effective. The problem is that many teachers do not know how to use these new technologies. An education that does not include technology is failing to prepare our students for the world they are living in.
Reference Points:
1. The prerequisites for learning are engagement and motivation. With the “old way” of teaching, charismatic teachers gave compelling lectures that led to engagement. The problem is that charismatic teachers are rare. Prensky suggests that the new way of teaching should be through electronic “gameplay”. Games that have desirable goals, interesting choices, immediate & useful feedback, and opportunities to level-up can create the engagement and motivation necessary for today’s students to learn.
2. Teachers can learn from their students about what technologies should be available at school, and also how these technologies can be used effectively.
3. Computer programs can adapt to a players capabilities & skills providing a more effective individualized education that allows students to reach their full potential.
4. With technology like instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs, pod casts… Students should be able to join groups of peers with similar interests, as well as choose instructors that will meet their needs. Location is no longer an issue. Students could join as many groups as they want to, and nobody would be left out.
5. Cell phones can be very powerful educational tools. We should use them rather than ban them.
6. A highly specialized 21st Century curriculum could be developed by videotaping meaningful Q&A sessions with students and experts in the many different fields.
7. With our current system many students believe that schools only function is to provide the credential that their parents say they need. If we don’t change and adapt, schools will become a holding pen for students while their parents are at work. Many students will not show up physically or mentally.
1. The prerequisites for learning are engagement and motivation. With the “old way” of teaching, charismatic teachers gave compelling lectures that led to engagement. The problem is that charismatic teachers are rare. Prensky suggests that the new way of teaching should be through electronic “gameplay”. Games that have desirable goals, interesting choices, immediate & useful feedback, and opportunities to level-up can create the engagement and motivation necessary for today’s students to learn.
2. Teachers can learn from their students about what technologies should be available at school, and also how these technologies can be used effectively.
3. Computer programs can adapt to a players capabilities & skills providing a more effective individualized education that allows students to reach their full potential.
4. With technology like instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs, pod casts… Students should be able to join groups of peers with similar interests, as well as choose instructors that will meet their needs. Location is no longer an issue. Students could join as many groups as they want to, and nobody would be left out.
5. Cell phones can be very powerful educational tools. We should use them rather than ban them.
6. A highly specialized 21st Century curriculum could be developed by videotaping meaningful Q&A sessions with students and experts in the many different fields.
7. With our current system many students believe that schools only function is to provide the credential that their parents say they need. If we don’t change and adapt, schools will become a holding pen for students while their parents are at work. Many students will not show up physically or mentally.
Reflection:
I think that Marc Prensky definitely has some valuable ideas. I like the idea of creating educational games that foster engagement. There are many ways to teach the same thing. Often the most effective way is not the easiest way. It takes a lot of thought, effort and creativity to make education engaging. Even then a teachers effort only impacts a small number of students. Educational games have the potential to impact unlimited numbers of students. I can imagine a future where games completely replace textbooks. I also really like the idea of giving students the freedom to pick their own classes/groups from a vast network of students and teachers. Learning is a lot more effective if is a choice rather than a requirement. Each student should have an individualized and highly specialized education that caters to their interests and abilities. This would be far superior to the run of the mill education that students receive today. We as a society need to make it happen!
I think that Marc Prensky definitely has some valuable ideas. I like the idea of creating educational games that foster engagement. There are many ways to teach the same thing. Often the most effective way is not the easiest way. It takes a lot of thought, effort and creativity to make education engaging. Even then a teachers effort only impacts a small number of students. Educational games have the potential to impact unlimited numbers of students. I can imagine a future where games completely replace textbooks. I also really like the idea of giving students the freedom to pick their own classes/groups from a vast network of students and teachers. Learning is a lot more effective if is a choice rather than a requirement. Each student should have an individualized and highly specialized education that caters to their interests and abilities. This would be far superior to the run of the mill education that students receive today. We as a society need to make it happen!
