Response to 21st Century Learners

   In one of the first Comp 204 B class periods at Grove City College, this video was presented to the class. For me, it provoked quite a bit of reflection; I couldn't understand how students seemed to believe it was the teachers responsibility to engage students in the classroom using technology that is most widely used as forms of entertainment.

   This video is basically 16 students asking their teachers to engage them, as they are "21st Century Learners" who respond best to modern technology. They argue that a traditional classroom setting is not the best learning environment, and hold up laptops, MP3s, cameras, and cell phones. While I have nothing against appropriate use of technology in the classroom, this request comes across as demanding an almost lazy approach to education.

   Let's look at this from the students point of view. As kids who seem bored with school, they are asking for integration of something that excites them. I can see students using a blog to sum up history lessons, write book reviews, or a number of out-of-classroom assignments. They want to be excited about school, and as a future teacher that excites me! However, the description these students give of the ways they already use technology and their unwillingness to engage themselves doesn't lead me to think abandoning a traditional classroom setting is a good idea. 16 and a half hours of watching tv, 3 and a half hours gaming, and 5 and a half hours on the computer every week is not my definition of using those resources well.

   These students want to use technology to share information with each other. What kind of information? Thoughts on literature or the latest pop-culture trends? They don't realize that the "education" they are asking for doesn't involve anything besides mindless pleasure! They are asking to be engaged because they don't realize what they are learning at school is valuable content, all they know is mindless entertainment. 

   What can you do with students who have this perspective on education? As a teacher, one of your goals should be to develop a love of learning in your students. You need to reach out to them in order to teach them, but you can't go all out and do everything they request. For these students, I would recommend incorporating things that interest them as motivators to complete their out-of-classroom assignments. I don't support their request to transition to a curriculum based in technology, and I strongly value traditional education, but I want these students to succeed. If they are motivated to use technology and I can use that to introduce them to an appreciation of things like the value of American history and the importance of analyzing literature, I would consider that an appropriate and successful use of technology. 

Alyssa Baldwin (Post Author)
Megan Daugherty
Sarah DeMar
Grace DeWalt
Group 10