Educational Learning Through Technology

Image Property of Krista Moroder

For this week’s post, we are viewing statistics and discussing how educational technology impacts how our students learn.  Some of these articles remind me of the National Geographic documentary series, Valley of the Boom.  This televise documentary series tells the story about the beginning of the internet, the deals that were made behind the scenes and how the internet impacted our lives. I remember the web browser, Netscape, because a friend of mine introduced me to it.  She was the only one at the time that had internet service in her home. I did not know what it was at the time until she showed me how to use it. I didn’t think that I could even benefit from using the internet at all.  I remember as a kid hearing about the “internet” but I never really used it until I was almost out of high school and on my way to college.  My mom didn’t get internet service until my last year of high school.  As far as social media was concern during that time, I was introduced and had accounts for Yahoo Instant Messager (through my Yahoo email account), Blackplanet.com and Collegeclub.com.  Did these online outlets impact the way I learn?  In a way it did because I was one of those students that didn’t come from a home with internet at the time.  I only used the computer to search the online catalog for books in the school and or public library.  I work with some students who do not have internet service, a computer or a cell phone.  Their families cannot afford it just like mines could not because certain bills took priority over the luxury over the internet.  Learning how to attach documents to an email, send an email, and utilize the early models of social media is something that I had to learn in order to function in society and in the classroom. My sense of the internet and technology was very limited back then in the year 2000.  However, reading and viewing these reports only a couple stood out to me.

Project Tomorrow has a research data program called, Speak Up.  Speak Up, according to it’s website, provides an easy way for students, parents and educators to participate in your local decisions about technology, as well as contribute to the state and national dialogue about digital learning through a free data collection process for your school or district.  Speak Up’s conducted a research called, Ten Things Everyone Should Know about K-12 Students' Digital Learning, 2018. This research stood out to me because some of the findings I see all the time when I view my students interacting and learning with technology daily.  For example, number six of this list, My school is called “YouTube”, talks about how students learn how to do a task on their own by watching YouTube. According to the study, 77% of grade 6-8 students and 90% of grade 9-12 students say that they regularly find and watch online videos to learn how to do something when they are at home.  I have seen some of my students use YouTube to find out how to do science projects, fix used computers and cell phones.  I was not surprise by this static at all.  To tell you the truth, I used YouTube to learn how to patch a hole in my wall. 

 I was surprise by number three’s Print vs. Pixel Preferences statistics. It is hard to believe that only 77% of high school students say they prefer to read a printed book or article. But 66% of students in K-2 classes say reading is best for them on a screen – even more fun with audio and lots of interactivity.  I would never think that high school students would like to ditch technology when it came to reading a book. I see most of them with their tablets all the time in my library.  So I guess you can that I assume that they are reading a book on their device.  Then again, those tablets have social media apps on them so I guess they are using those apps more than reading a book online. Also most of my students can not afford tablets to read on. I was not surprise about students’ K through 2^nd  that love to watch and work on a big screen in their classroom.  Students of that age level love to watch and interact on the white boards in my school district.  Most students in that grade can function the white board better than the teacher. They love making noises and being hands on when learning and having fun through technology.  Most of the white board activities consist of creating story boards, watching movies and playing educational games.  Playing with chalk on the black board and getting dirty is not fun for these children any more.

Another statistical resource that I found interesting was the Generation Z: Understanding and Engaging the Emerging Generations.  This blog talks about how each generation engaged through the emergence of technology.  Each generation interacts with changes throughout society.  The generations that are covered in this research start with builders all the way to generation alpha.  I am dealing with Alpha and “Z” students as we speak.  I see that these two generational periods of students are basically learning through technology because for some of them, technology is raising them.  In my opinion, technology should not be used in that way.  It was shocking to see the generational break down of things that were created from automobiles, music devices, social makers that took place in history all the way to the times of when search engines and social media outlets were created and involved.  I am considered as a generation “Y” person.  I during my life time, I have had a walkman before.  After I have several walkman, I had a disc man (portable cd player).  I never got an iPod until I was almost 30 years old.  I still used floppy disc until I started graduate school with my first master’s degree.  In graduate school, I purchase my first USB drive.  With all these changes, I see that I am somewhat behind on the usage of technology and social media just like some in other generations. 

I am making reference to the section of generation “Z” in the United States is ranked third in “total” population but is not ranked in generation “Z” population.  According to this blog, generation “Zs” are demographically changed and are growing up in an era of Australia’s largest baby boom since the birth of the Boomer generation.  This generation is living in an era of changing household structures that is changing society with an increasingly ageing population. They are digitally transformed by integrating technology into their everyday realities.  Maybe it’s because access and how technology is taught and learned in Australia with this generation has made them so advance.   I know some or most students that I work with do not have internet, a computer or a cell phone at home.  Some of my students have heard some of some names of social media outlets but they never seen or access them before.  This detailed chart and static is a wakeup call that the United States should make learning technology accessible.   This needs to happen at home and in the classrooms.  However, we live in a reality that most households cannot afford technology at home and that most school districts are in the same boat. If affordable access was available, then students can be taught how to properly integrating technology as part of their learning environment.  This investment can benefit them in the long run.  However, the question maybe that can technology keep up with a changing population.

References

Ryan, Patrick (2018). First look: Nat Geo's tech drama 'Valley of the Boom' tells Internet origin story. US Today.  Retrieved January 28, 2019 at https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2018/07/24/exclusive-nat-geo-goes-boom-first-trailer-silicon-valley-drama/818878002/

Project Tomorrow (2018). Ten Things Everyone Should Know about K-12 Students' Digital Learning, 2018. Speak Up. Retrieved on January 29, 2019 at https://tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup-2017-ten-things-to-know-students-digital-learning-september-2018.html

McCrindle (2018). Generation Z: Understanding and Engaging the Emerging Generations. McCrindle.  Retrieved on January 29, 2019 at https://mccrindle.com.au/insights/blogarchive/generation-z-understanding-and-engaging-the-emerging-generations/    

McCrindle (2017). GenZGenAplpha 2017. Retrieved on January 29, 2019 at https://mccrindle.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/GenZGenAlpha_2017.pdf