Journal # 9 MS

Waters, John (2009,March). The Kids Are All Right. The Journal, Retrieved 04/06/2009, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/24104

Research was done on an estimated 800 students to find out how they use digital media. Each student was asked to keep a digital diary so that the findings could be easily evaluated. The study should that there was three Genres or ecologies or participation that was found. These ecologies are a collection of interconnected technologies and activities involving new Medias. The three types are:
1. Hanging Out- which is a lightweight social interaction largely of personal friendships and are driven by friendship interactions.
2. Messing Around- This is a hybrid of both Hanging Out and Geeking out in which the student starts to explore an interest and become more self directing. This as well is an interest driven activity and is not graded.
3. Geeking Out- The student here shows intense interest and a high level of commitment with certain technologies. Students learn to evaluate the media and technology and start to share resources and information. Based on thinking outside the box and discovering the desire to learn this is the Genre that educator appreciates most.

Educators of old were hard pressed not to embrace technologies and what they can do for today’s youth. There were times where if you seen a student on the internet the conclusion was made that the student was just messing around and nothing productive was being accomplished. This study has shown however, that students use the internet for self directing learning and not just for playtime any longer. Educators need to be more open to the things students are doing on their own when online.
Today it is estimated that 80-90% of students are using media tools for peer group socialization. Even the students that are quiet or have different interests have found communities online that shares ones interests. If the educator wants to engage the students the educator must not avoid these technologies if we do there is a high probability that we may be looked at by our students as irrelevant. Perhaps a good way to have students more engaged is to have them teach the educator a thing or two about what technologies interests them in our class. Of course make them understand that to teach us the technology has to pertain to the class in some manner.

Question #1 Why are these technologies good for the socially challenged students?

Answer: Based on the self driven approach the student can learn on their own without worrying about being graded or criticized by their peers. They can find their own interest and communities to learn from and gain confidence to show what they know.

Question #2 Why would it be important for students to teach educators about technologies?

Answer: There are so many different types of technologies and resources that educators can not know them all. Perhaps a student will find one that is better than what the teacher is using or the student will be able to explain and teach others on why a particular technology is so valuable in their own learning strategies. Allowing the student to have a voice and be apart of the educational process could only benefit the educators and the educational system.