To Infinity and Beyond...

The article "Why Generation Y is Going to Change the Web" explains how the Internet and technology have affected Generation Y, and in turn, how Generation Y affected that same technology. Although I am a part of Generation Y and my students will be part of Generation Z (or Generation Connected, or Multitasking) it is important to be aware of the consequences of how plugged in Generation Y has been--and is: Generation Y is the first to grow up with the Internet and other new technologies. The long-term consequences and effects of being so "plugged in" will only be magnified for Generation Z and, as a teacher and member of
Generation Y it is important for me to consider all
these implications in my classroom. (You're
following all these generations, right?...)


Much of Generation Y has learned the hard way about the importance of "blogging their every thought and posting those embarrassing pictures." Many have realized how easy it is for potential employers to simply search their name and find everything from their past. However, it seems Generation Y has learned from their mistakes and when it comes to social networks especially, they are very concerned with controlling their privacy settings. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and even the iPhone app Instagram allow users to adjust their profiles to varying degrees of privacy. What this means for Generation Y teachers is that they will be (or at least they should be...) hyper-aware of what their students are posting on the Internet. I know that I will be teaching my students about creating and keeping up a respectable and professional online version of themselves. I will encourage them to keep anything personal as private as they can and to be wary of who they accept as friends on whatever social network is in vogue at the time.


One of the most interesting points this article about Generation Y made was what is expected in the workplace: "Gen Y in the workplace will not just want, but expect their company to provide them with tools that mirror those they use in their personal lives." If Generation Y needs the new technology they use on a day to day basis, in their jobs as well as social lives, then it is only logical that Generation Z will need those same tools in the classroom. Students I work with in high school now, and even (or especially) my 7 year old nephew, have learned the alphabet, spelling, math, etc., through technology. Whether they used an iPad or books from the LeapFrog series, Generation Z is even more "plugged in" than Generation Y; it would be ridiculous to expect these students to stop using all these technologies when they enter the classroom. It is imperative that teachers of these students recognize how fluidly technology works with their lives and learning styles. It has impacted how they learn, their attention span (which is shorter than previous generations'), and how they interact with one another.


The long-term impacts new technologies have had on Generation Y must be taken into consideration in understanding how Generation X will progress in the classroom. The technology will only continue to advance and both education and the classroom should advance with it. Teachers must embrace these changes and be willing to adapt to the future. Like Buzz Lightyear says...

Digital Learning Day

Happy (belated) Digital Learning Day! Digital Learning Day is a day to encourage and to celebrate the use of technology in classrooms. It's unfortunate, but there are many "old school" teachers who reject the shift towards technology for their students. There are so many opportunities and advantages for both teachers and students, it's great that there is a day to encourage and promote technology in schools.

One thing I've noticed at Platt High School, where I am interning, is how addicted students are to Twitter. Even though they are not allowed to have their phone out during the school day (another can of worms that I will begin to open shortly) I hear them talking about Twitter, tweets, subtweets and trending topics all day long. They literally can't get enough. Therefore it only seems logical that a teacher should try to take advantage of this niche of an interest and make use of it in the classroom. A teacher, Kathee Godfrey, made the attempt to incorporate Twitter into her classroom. She wrote about the experience with her students in a blog on the National Writing Project site.

Godfrey was surprised that her students responded so well. She had them discuss an article they read together, using Twitter for the first time. This assignment would be amazing at Platt High School -- students are already so adept at using Twitter that it would, most likely, be a very fluid lesson they would enjoy. It would be something so out of the norm of their regular day that they would remember it for a long time.

The only problem with trying to use Twitter in a lesson, is that at Platt students are not allowed to even have their phones out while in school. Another blog post on nwp.org addresses the problem of phone restrictions in school. It's the 21st century and cell phones are a huge part of students' lives (and many teachers', for that matter). They have grown up with technology and it is almost an extension of themselves; to punish them for having their phones out during the school day really creates a disconnect between school life and home/social life. If we, as teachers, want to bridge that gap and get students more involved in their own education we need to help unify the separations -- and incorporating technology in the classroom is a perfect first step.