Generation Me

In reading the Prensky items last week, it seemed that one or both of the descriptions provided for digital natives spoke to you and how you see your students. This week the Reeves & Oh and Twenge pieces has written examined the research about these so-called generational differences to see what we can say with confidence is actually true about today's student.

Based upon your reading of the Reeves & Oh and Twenge pieces, what do you take away from this whole discussion about generational differences? Having read all four pieces now, which one do you think makes the most sense based on your own students? Does the review of the research conducted by Reeves and Twenge really matter if Howe and Strauss or Prensky got it right in the first place?

In addition to the entry responding to this prompt on your own blog this week, please make a comment on two of your fellow students' blogs.

Your own response to this prompt should be posted by the end of the day on Saturday, 25 July 2009. Your comments on other students' blogs should be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, 28 July 2009.

Digital Natives

This week you've been introduced to some of the literature concerning today's students - who people think they are, what characteristics, they have, etc. Does any of what you read sound like your students?

For your blog entry this week, I'd like you to reflect on what these two authors have said. How have each of the author's described YOUR students? What have each of the authors said that doesn't describe your students at all? Are there any characteristics, traits or behaviors of your students that none of these authors have even mentioned? Basically, how do you students compare to what these authors have to say?

In addition to the entry responding to this prompt on your own blog this week, please make a comment on at least two of your fellow students' blogs.

Your own response to this prompt should be posted by the end of the day on Saturday, 18 July 2009. Your comments on other students' blogs should be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, 21 July 2009.

Coming Trends

After reading the summaries and overviews for each of the six trends outlined in the 2009 Horizon Report, which one do you think will have the biggest impact on teaching? Why?

Also, which one are you most excited about coming to fruition (i.e., actually happening)? Why?

In addition to the entry responding to this prompt on your own blog this week, please respond to at least two of your fellow students' blogs.

Your own response to this prompt should be posted by the end of the day on Saturday, 11 July 2009. Your comments on other students' blogs should be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, 14 July 2009.

Building My PLN

Using a site like http://blogsearch.google.com/ or http://technorati.com/ search for blogs that might be of interest to you based upon your own teaching background (e.g., grade levels, students, geographic location, subject area, etc.).

Select three (3) of these blogs to add to your RSS reader (and feel free to select more than three if you find others that are of interest to you).

Write an entry to your that lists the three blogs you have selected, the address for each of these three blogs, and a sentence or two about why you selected to follow them. Please include more than something to the effect of, "It was a blog about using technology in elementary school." or "It was about teaching high school mathematics in an urban area." There are dozens, if not hundreds or thousands of blogs that meet those criteria. Why did you pick that specific one? What about it caught our attention and/or interest?

Your own response to this prompt should be posted by the end of the day on Tuesday, 7 July 2009.

Introduce Yourself

To begin your first entry, provide us with a short description of where you teach, what classes you teach, what your students are like there, etc.. Remember that some of us, myself as probably the prime example, may not be familiar with all the different areas of Michigan (and possibly outside of Michigan) so the more information you can tell us about your school and the students that you teach, the better our interactions will be as the course progresses. Also include some information about yourself, such as what program you are in, what degree you are pursuing.

This entry should be completed by the end of the day on Saturday, 4 July 2009.