Engage me or Enrage me...

I found this article by Marc Prensky (2005) opened my eyes to exactly how important it is to be ready to teach the children of the future, who I’ll refer to here as ‘digital natives’. I agree with Prensky (2005) when he discusses the lack of engagement that often occurs within the classroom as I have witnessed first-hand –and I agree that this is often due to the way that things are taught.  The idea presented by Prensky (2005) of “yesterday’s education for tomorrow’s kids” just doesn’t sit right with me at all and I wholeheartedly agree that we need to do more as we move forward into a technological age where these ‘digital natives’ will make up a large percentage of the class.

How amazing is it that “kids will master systems ten times more complex that algebra, understand systems ten times more complex than the simple economics we require of them, and read far above their grade level- when the goals are worth it to them” (Prensky, 2005, p.3).

After reading this article I was left agreeing with the author and had this sense of “education is not fair”. But after discussing this with a fellow peer and reading this article again I felt that my opinions were challenged. I find it interesting that Prensky (2005) when discussing the children of ‘yesteryear’he refers to them as almost disadvantaged, saying that they don’t know what ‘real engagement’ is. I feel that this assumption implies that in order to be ‘engaged’ technology must be involved. Whilst I agree that technology is incredibly engaging, when I look back to my own schooling I remember numerous moments of engagement that came from sensory experiences, hands on activities or simply the teachings of a truly passionate educator. Do these moments really not exist anymore? I hope not.

So if technology really is the only way to engage students then the challenge exists for me, ‘a digital immigrant’ to find out how to use technology and teach the curriculum in ways that will truly engage this breed of ‘digital natives’.