Our students as language and technology Brokers

While reading chapter 8 of our book, I began to think about our students at Roan. Many of them already act as language brokers for their parents. They translate anything from notes from teachers to legal documents, in addition to translating day to day conversations. I began to think about how technology will impact the family dynamics even more. Not only do most of our students know English, but they are also familiar with this new world of technology. Many of their parents will never have an e-mail account or know how to navigate the world wide web. Tapscott states that "the old hierarchy has given way to a new kind of family democracy, in which Net Geners have a voice in family affairs"  (p. 224). What are your thoughts on this? What are the implications for our students?


~Sanjuana

Seven Guidelines for Marketing Professionals

When reading Chapter 7, I found most of the suggestions listed in the 'Seven Guidelines for Marketing Professionals' (p. 217) profoundly similar to what we as educators have to be thinking about when designing engaging work for our customers:

Don't focus on your customers-engage them: We so often (and understandably so) focus on the wealth of information that the students have to learn in one short year and overlook the opportunity to teach them many things at once by engaging them in well designed work.

Don't create products and services-create consumer experiences: I see this happening all over the building at Roan School through well designed experiences for students. Reminds me of "Show a man how to fish and he can eat for a day, teach a man how to fish and he can eat for a lifetime"

Rethink your brand: Pouring it in their head versus life long learning.

Bake integrety into your corporate DNA: Be the kind of person you want these kids to be. Like Charlie quoted before; "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" : )

Don't Train: Engage

As I reread sections of Grown Up Digital, the connections/applications to the Working on the Work framework really capture my attention. My experience in Leadership Academy required that I be familiar with the WOW framework and how learning organizations function. I had previously commented about making a connection between the importance of relationship and getting to know your who. Tapscott reminds us that we need to get the relationship part right first, then use technology for creating a customized learning environment.

I made another connection to WOW as Tapscott uses the word (engagement) to discuss the net generation in the workforce : "Engagement is the mystery ingredient required to free the power of human capital and transform performance." (page 177). He goes on to discuss how net geners think work and learning, collaboration and fun should be the same thing; therefore organizations must retool in order to address things like training/professional development, workday and workplace parameters, and work-styles. Sound familiar?

I wonder if others are seeing these connections to the Working on the Work framework and learning organizations? Share what you think.

The Digital Dilemma

As I sit here exhausted on a Friday night, I am watching the news and am struck at the devastation in Japan over the last 24 hours. I think what shocked me the most, was that my students new as much or more than I did today about the global tragedy we suffered over-night. I hadn't watched the news, so I had to play catch up to even discuss it with my students. I was astounded with how many tweets were coming out of Japan per minute. We were able to witness firsthand the devastation and destruction the Japanese felt. Thanks to this global communication, my students already had more of a knowledge base of what happened in Japan than I did. It sparked meaningful conversations in our read aloud time since I had spent two weeks in Japan with my husband years ago. I was able to share my experiences with my students and connect it to a read aloud about a Japanese family after World War II.

It really brought home to me that when this generation is interested in a topic, they seem to soak up unbelievable amounts of information. I believe that the key to this generation is authentic learning. It seems that if they care about what they learn, they tend to make deeper connections to the information. I have noticed that the creativity in this Generation Next (born from 1998-present) seems to be exploding. We, as educations, are challenged to tap into this creativity. The real challenge for me is to find the time to create authentic learning experiences when current budget constraints have caused most of us to be overworked with more students in our classes and privy to less resources. I would love to hear from you and get your thoughts on how you deal with this dilemma!

No Place Like the New Home

Chapters 5-8 contain a wealth of knowledge when it comes the life we lead as Educators. Net Gens and The Family is something I personally was dealing with just last night. In Chapter 8, there are some statements that hard to confront and deal with, such as the Old Hierarchy of the family (traditionalist) vs the Net Gens new democracy. As over scheduled parents and over scheduled kids, children have forgotten how to even play out doors any more due to the fact of fear and being lethargic. So where is the new freedom found? Yes, indoors.

Jennifer worked late last night and Jack is amazed by Mario Bros as Austin and I sit on the couch playing together, working together, laughing together and watching Jack hit the controllers so we lose a turn. Being a Anti-gaming advocate, I reminded myself that I could not have created this experience for both my boys, at the same moment in time, TOGETHER

2nd Comment: My parents were not Helicopter parents, Are you one? Me...I am more like the one you see in Gatlinburg that only has one passenger seat and can be hauled away in a pickup truck.

Making sure your kids are successful, yes...don't do it for them.

Enjoy.

Customization: My job, my life

The illustration on page 164 sums up chapter 6 for me...A Net Gener's Perfect Work Space..."My ideal environment. In the middle of nowhere doing everything via satellite, video, feed and Internet." -Craig, 22

It's amazing to me to think about how companies are having to revamp their recruiting methods. Craig obviously is not looking for a big office in New York to conduct his work...he just wants to be left alone to complete everything online. What a shift from how things used to be.

I keep thinking about how Craig's teachers could have helped prepare him for his job(s)...one of his biggest skills he's going to need, in my opinion, is "collaboration". Actually, he's not going to need just the plain "working in groups" kind of collaboration, but "online collaboration" which can be quite different.

Don Tapscott lists several net generation norms for the transformation of the work place: freedom, customization, scrutiny, integrity, collaboration, entertainment, and speed. (pages 160-167)

What are your thoughts on these norms? Better yet, how do you think teachers can better prepare these net geners for their ideal work spaces?

A vision of Students Today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
In the reading this time, I found this interesting. This video was one of the hottest hits on You Tube in 2008. Please watch and let me know what you think!

Next Steps...

Congratulations to all of you who are new to blogging! We are still waiting on a few teachers to join, but I thought since "Dr. G" already shared some insight, I would post his comment here so you all can comment on it. Thanks Dr. G. :)
Dr. G said:
Responding to middle paragraph, p. 127 - Most of the digital experience of our students (video games, etc) involves reactive thinking - responding to immediate situations that are typically unpredictable and over which they have little control of the future. How are we going to merge proactive thinking (critical thinking, analysis, predicting, formulating and supporting positions) with their digital experiences?

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