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?
If we consider these net-gen norms in our local classrooms, should we not also consider the "limited privileges" and access to technologies needed to design,enhance, and implement many quality, engaging lessons for today?
ReplyDeleteI see many of these norms occuring daily in classrooms through the LC framework;collaboration, integrity, innovation,
ReplyDeletefreedom(to explore and learn), entertainment (engaging work), scrutiny(reflecting and critiqing work). I think we are on the right track as we work to transform the school environment to meet Net Gen needs.
To me it's funny that this idea of what the work space looks like has come up right now. I was just approached last week by a guy I went to highschool with about getting involved with a new company his friends are creating to teach the English language to students over seas via the internet.
ReplyDeleteI feel that for the most part I am one of these people that as long as I have "connection" to the world then I can work. It feels so weird, and almost wrong, at how lost you feel without your "connection" to the world, whether it be your phone or computer. Things are quickly changing and the ways that people work have changed a lot over the past few years. As someone that has gotten a degree online, using the net for work is just a part of me. I don't feel that I have to think hard about ways to bring lessons to my students that incorporate technology, we use as much as we can as often as we can. It's what the kids want.
The norms have changed and will continue to change. Educators have to adapt in order to make the learning meaningful for our students. I found this quote off the article that Sanjuana sent about new teachers... It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -- Einstein
Let's allow our students to be curious and to create the work space they need instead of having the work space the way WE think it should look!
Students today thrive on collaboration. Since they are so social, collaboration goes right along with their way of thinking and acting. As teachers, it is our job to engage students. One way to do this is through collaborative efforts. However, we do not have to limit the collaboration to students in our classroom. We can use technology to allow the students in our classroom to collaborate with students across the country and across the world. By helping them connect with other people through technology we are preparing them for life after school.
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