1. Teaching Students in the Digital Age David M. Keathly Computer Science and Engineering University of North Texas

2. Portions of this presentation courtesy of the talk: Engaging Digital Natives Examining 21 st century literacies and their implications for teaching in the digital age. Jennifer Carrier Dorman http://jdorman.wikispaces.com/Conferences

3. We are at a turning point in the tech industry and perhaps even in the history of the world Tim O’Reilly – Feb. 14 2006

4. Future of the Internet By 2012, 60% of the 435 million networked devices in the US will be mobile, giving rise to profound growth in mobile network traffic and applications and escalating already strong demand for workers able to build and support mobile converged networks – Portia Bass, PhD Mobile Market Analyst By 2012, 60% of the 435 million networked devices in the US will be mobile, giving rise to profound growth in mobile network traffic and applications and escalating already strong demand for workers able to build and support mobile converged networks – Portia Bass, PhD Mobile Market Analyst Gartner, IDC and other industry watchers estimate that by 2015 between 68% and 80% of primary internet access will be via mobile devices Gartner, IDC and other industry watchers estimate that by 2015 between 68% and 80% of primary internet access will be via mobile devices

5. The Case for 21 st Century Education Education is changing. Education is changing. Competition is changing internationally. Competition is changing internationally. The workplace, jobs, and skill demands are changing. The workplace, jobs, and skill demands are changing.

6. What are the Characteristics of 21 st Century Students? YouTube Videos YouTube Videos College College K-12 K-12 We Think We Think

7. Implications These changes, among others, are ushering us toward a world where knowledge, power, and productive capability will be more dispersed than at any time in our history—a world where value creation will be fast, fluid, and persistently disruptive. These changes, among others, are ushering us toward a world where knowledge, power, and productive capability will be more dispersed than at any time in our history—a world where value creation will be fast, fluid, and persistently disruptive. A world where only the connected will survive. A world where only the connected will survive. A power shift is underway, and a tough new business rule is emerging: Harness the new collaboration or perish. A power shift is underway, and a tough new business rule is emerging: Harness the new collaboration or perish. Those who fail to grasp this will find themselves ever more isolated—cut off from the networks that are sharing, adapting, and updating knowledge to create value. Those who fail to grasp this will find themselves ever more isolated—cut off from the networks that are sharing, adapting, and updating knowledge to create value.

8. Implications for Schools For smart schools [companies], the rising tide of mass collaboration offers vast opportunity…Schools [Companies] can reach beyond their walls to sow the seeds of innovation and harvest a bountiful crop. For smart schools [companies], the rising tide of mass collaboration offers vast opportunity…Schools [Companies] can reach beyond their walls to sow the seeds of innovation and harvest a bountiful crop. Indeed, educators [firms] that cultivate nimble, trust-based relationships with external collaborators are positioned to form vibrant classroom [business] ecosystems that enhance learning [create value] more effectively than hierarchically organized schools [businesses]. Indeed, educators [firms] that cultivate nimble, trust-based relationships with external collaborators are positioned to form vibrant classroom [business] ecosystems that enhance learning [create value] more effectively than hierarchically organized schools [businesses].

9. Discussion Activity What kinds of opportunities do you see for your students and your classrooms? What kinds of opportunities do you see for your students and your classrooms?

10. Digital Natives

11. It is now clear that as a result of this ubiquitous information environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors. It is now clear that as a result of this ubiquitous information environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors. Marc Prensky – “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” 2001 Marc Prensky – “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” 2001

12. Digital Natives “Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures” - Dr. Bruce D. Berry of Baylor College of Medicine. “Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures” - Dr. Bruce D. Berry of Baylor College of Medicine. it is very likely that our students’ brains have physically changed – and are different from ours – as a result of how they grew up it is very likely that our students’ brains have physically changed – and are different from ours – as a result of how they grew up

13. Who are the digital natives? Our students today are all “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games, instantaneous communication, and the Internet. Our students today are all “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games, instantaneous communication, and the Internet. Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are Digital Immigrants. Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are Digital Immigrants.

14. The Challenge Our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language Our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language Digital Immigrants video Digital Immigrants video Reaching Digital Natives Video Reaching Digital Natives Video

15. The Nomadic Grazing Patterns of Digital Natives Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite.

16. The Nomadic Grazing Patterns of Digital Natives They prefer random access (like hypertext). They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to “serious” work. They prefer games to “serious” work.

17. Wonder Bread – builds strong bodies 12 ways! This generation differs from its parents in 8 ways (“Growing up Digital” by Don Tapscott) This generation differs from its parents in 8 ways (“Growing up Digital” by Don Tapscott) Freedom in everything – from choice to expression Freedom in everything – from choice to expression Love to customize and personalize Love to customize and personalize The new scrutinizers The new scrutinizers Corporate integrity and openness determines what to buy, where to work Corporate integrity and openness determines what to buy, where to work Entertainment and play in work, education and social life Entertainment and play in work, education and social life Collaboration and relationship generation Collaboration and relationship generation Need for speed! Need for speed! Innovators Innovators

18. Discussion Have you observed these differences in your students? Have you observed these differences in your students? Any others? Any others?

19. Methodology Today’s teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students. Today’s teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students. This doesn’t mean changing the meaning of what is important, or of good thinking skills. This doesn’t mean changing the meaning of what is important, or of good thinking skills.

20. Discussion How can we do this? How can we do this? Do we really need to do this? Do we really need to do this? How do we handled mixed groups of natives and immigrants? How do we handled mixed groups of natives and immigrants?

21. Web 2.0

22. What is Web 2.0? Web 2.0 is a term often applied to a perceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of static websites to a full- fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users. Web 2.0 is a term often applied to a perceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of static websites to a full- fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users. Tim O’Reilly Tim O’Reilly

23. Web 2.0 Static content transformed by dynamic participation Static content transformed by dynamic participation Communities Communities Networks Networks Read/write Read/write

24. The New WWW Whatever Whatever Whenever Whenever Wherever Wherever Tom March, Web-based educator, author, and instructional designer Tom March, Web-based educator, author, and instructional designer

25. The New WWW The New WWW—offering us whatever we want, whenever and wherever we want it— may seem like just an extension of our already- technology-enhanced contemporary life The New WWW—offering us whatever we want, whenever and wherever we want it— may seem like just an extension of our already- technology-enhanced contemporary life

26. Confronting the Challenges of a Participatory Culture Media Education for the 21 st Century

27. “If it were possible to define generally the mission of education, it could be said that its fundamental purpose is to ensure that all students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate fully in public, community, [Creative] and economic life.” — New London Group (2000, p. 9)

28. Participatory Culture According to a recent study from the Pew Internet & American Life project (Lenhardt & Madden, 2005), more than one-half of all teens have created media content, and roughly one- third of teens who use the Internet have shared content they produced.

29. A Participatory Culture... With relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement With strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others With some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices Where members believe that their contributions matter Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least they care what other people think about what they have created)

30. Forms of Participatory Culture Affiliations — memberships, formal and informal, in online communities centered around various forms of media, such as Friendster, Facebook, message boards, metagaming, game clans, or MySpace Expressions — producing new creative forms, such as digital sampling, skinning and modding, fan videomaking, fan fiction writing, zines, mash-ups

31. Forms of Participatory Culture Collaborative Problem-solving — working together in teams, formal and informal, to complete tasks and develop new knowledge (such as through Wikipedia, alternative reality gaming, spoiling). Circulations — Shaping the flow of media (such as podcasting, blogging).

32. Implications A growing body of scholarship suggests potential benefits of these forms of participatory culture, including: opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, a changed attitude toward intellectual property, the diversification of cultural expression, the development of skills valued in the modern workplace, and a more empowered conception of citizenship.

33. Implications Participatory culture shifts the focus of literacy from one of individual expression to community involvement. The new literacies almost all involve social skills developed through collaboration and networking. These skills build on the foundation of traditional literacy, research skills, technical skills, and critical analysis skills taught in the classroom.

34. The New Literacies Play — the capacity to experiment with one’s surroundings as a form of problem-solving Performance — the ability to adopt alternative identities for the purpose of improvisation and discovery Simulation — the ability to interpret and construct dynamic models of real-world processes Appropriation — the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content

35. The New Literacies Multitasking — the ability to scan one’s environment and shift focus as needed to salient details. Distributed Cognition — the ability to interact meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities Collective Intelligence — the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal Judgment — the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information sources

36. The New Literacies Transmedia Navigation — the ability to follow the flow of stories and information across multiple modalities Networking — the ability to search for, synthesize, and disseminate information Negotiation — the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms.

37. Blogs

38. Blogs A blog is a website for which an individual or a group frequently generates text, photographs, video or audio files, and/or links, typically (but not always) on a daily basis. A blog is a website for which an individual or a group frequently generates text, photographs, video or audio files, and/or links, typically (but not always) on a daily basis. The term is a shortened form of weblog. The term is a shortened form of weblog. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called "blogging". Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called "blogging". Individual articles on a blog are called "blog posts," "posts," or "entries". Individual articles on a blog are called "blog posts," "posts," or "entries". The person who posts these entries is called a "blogger". The person who posts these entries is called a "blogger".

39. Blogs in School? Blogs are tools, and like any tools they can be used or misused. Blogs are tools, and like any tools they can be used or misused. Misuse occurs more often when there's a lack of instruction. (MySpace, Xanga, Facebook) Misuse occurs more often when there's a lack of instruction. (MySpace, Xanga, Facebook) Interactivity, publishing, collective intelligence Interactivity, publishing, collective intelligence

40. Blogs in School Teacher Blogs Homework Homework Keep Parents in the Loop Keep Parents in the Loop Virtual Inservice Virtual Inservice Professional collaboration Professional collaboration Student Blogs This week in class, we... Student Work Online portfolio Peer/teacher feedback

41. Why Students Shouldn’t Blog People will read it. People will read it. People might not like it. People might not like it. They might share test answers with others. They might share test answers with others. They might be found by a child predator online They might be found by a child predator online They might write something inappropriate. They might write something inappropriate. They might find something inappropriate. They might find something inappropriate. They might get other students to start blogging. They might get other students to start blogging. http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/whywhynot

42. Why Students Should Blog People will read it. People will read it. They might like it. They might like it. They might share what they've learned with others. They might share what they've learned with others. They might participate in a collaborative learning project. They might participate in a collaborative learning project. They might become inspired to learn. They might become inspired to learn. They might inspire others to learn. They might inspire others to learn. They might get other students to start blogging. They might get other students to start blogging. If they don't talk in class, they might on a blog. If they don't talk in class, they might on a blog. http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/whywhynot

43. Podcasts

44. Podcasts iPod + Broadcast = Podcast iPod + Broadcast = Podcast Amateur radio Amateur radio Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either the RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either the RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers.

45. Why use podcasts? Podcasts enable students to share their knowledge and expertise with others through a creative outlet. Podcasts enable students to share their knowledge and expertise with others through a creative outlet. Podcasts tap into a mode of media input that is commonplace for digital natives. Podcasts tap into a mode of media input that is commonplace for digital natives. Podcasts empower students to form relationships with the content and each other in relevant ways. Podcasts empower students to form relationships with the content and each other in relevant ways.

46. Why use podcasts? Podcasting is yet another way for them [students] to be creating and contributing ideas to a larger conversation, and it’s a way of archiving that contribution for future audiences to use. Podcasting is yet another way for them [students] to be creating and contributing ideas to a larger conversation, and it’s a way of archiving that contribution for future audiences to use. Will Richardson, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms Will Richardson, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

47. How can podcasts be used? In the classroom, educators and students can use podcasts to inform others about class news, current events, and areas of interest. In the classroom, educators and students can use podcasts to inform others about class news, current events, and areas of interest. Students can use a podcast forum to persuade their peers to help others, make a difference, or try something new. Students can use a podcast forum to persuade their peers to help others, make a difference, or try something new. Podcasts can also be used to edutain others through creative narratives. Podcasts can also be used to edutain others through creative narratives.

48. How can podcasts be used? Podcasts engage students in thinking critically about their speaking fluency and communication skills. Podcasts engage students in thinking critically about their speaking fluency and communication skills. The opportunity to create a podcast about what students would like to discuss and share with others is extremely motivating. The opportunity to create a podcast about what students would like to discuss and share with others is extremely motivating.

49. Other Enduring Benefits Along with the use of technology there are certain responsibilities that educators and students need to follow. Along with the use of technology there are certain responsibilities that educators and students need to follow. Educators need to instruct students on safe and acceptable use of technology in and outside of the classroom. Educators need to instruct students on safe and acceptable use of technology in and outside of the classroom. Not only do students need to learn how to appropriately research, but also how to safely and properly share information online. Not only do students need to learn how to appropriately research, but also how to safely and properly share information online. Podcasts allow students to learn first hand about copyright laws and fair use issues. Podcasts allow students to learn first hand about copyright laws and fair use issues.

50. Wikis

51. What is a Wiki? A wiki is a type of website that allows users easily to add, remove, or otherwise edit and change most available content. A wiki is a type of website that allows users easily to add, remove, or otherwise edit and change most available content.

52. How is a Wiki Constructed? A single page in a wiki is referred to as a "wiki page", while the entire body of pages, which are usually highly interconnected via hyperlinks, is "the wiki“ A single page in a wiki is referred to as a "wiki page", while the entire body of pages, which are usually highly interconnected via hyperlinks, is "the wiki“ in effect, a wiki is actually a very simple, easy-to- use user-maintained database for searching and creating information. in effect, a wiki is actually a very simple, easy-to- use user-maintained database for searching and creating information.

53. Are Wikis Safe? Wikis are generally designed with the philosophy of making it easy to correct mistakes, rather than making it difficult to make them. Wikis are generally designed with the philosophy of making it easy to correct mistakes, rather than making it difficult to make them.

54. Are Wikis Safe? Thus while wikis are very open, they provide a means to verify the validity of recent additions to the body of pages. Thus while wikis are very open, they provide a means to verify the validity of recent additions to the body of pages. The most prominent, on almost every wiki, is the "Recent Changes" page—a specific list numbering recent edits, or a list of all the edits made within a given timeframe. The most prominent, on almost every wiki, is the "Recent Changes" page—a specific list numbering recent edits, or a list of all the edits made within a given timeframe.

55. What the Experts are Saying Wikis are helping young people develop “writing skills and social skills by learning about group consensus and compromise—all the virtues you need to be a reasonable and productive member of society.” Wikis are helping young people develop “writing skills and social skills by learning about group consensus and compromise—all the virtues you need to be a reasonable and productive member of society.” Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia

56. What the Experts are Saying “The media is controlled by people who have the resources to control it,” he says. “Wikis show that all of us have an equal opportunity to contribute to knowledge.” “The media is controlled by people who have the resources to control it,” he says. “Wikis show that all of us have an equal opportunity to contribute to knowledge.” Andy Garvin, head of the Digital Divide Network Andy Garvin, head of the Digital Divide Network

57. Ways to Use Wikis Use wikis as formats for subject guides. Use wikis as formats for subject guides. Invite students and teachers to annotate your catalog on a wiki. Invite students and teachers to annotate your catalog on a wiki. Make wikis meeting places for communities inside the school. Make wikis meeting places for communities inside the school. Link librarians and teachers in your district in a collaborative enterprise. Link librarians and teachers in your district in a collaborative enterprise.