Podcast: Profiling Today's Students

This entry features a podcast (http://www.box.net/shared/a7m0kx6tht) in which I interviewed two junior high girls who fit the definition of Digital Native (Prensky, 2001). They are typical girls in our school. Both use cell phones, digital music players, computers, and watch TV on a regular basis. They use computers in school and for homework, but each stated that they use technology more for social purposes than academic endeavors. If they could, they would both like to use technology more often in school. They were somewhat familiar with Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts, but have had very limited use with them.

It was fun for me to realize during this interview that I'll be introducing Web 2.0 tools to my classes in just a few weeks, knowing that the technology will make class a little bit more fun and that I will be providing my students with greater opportunities for developing 21st century skills for the workplace (http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/).

Reference

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6). Retrieved July 25, 2009, from http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?index=0&did=1074252411&SrchMode=2&sid=1&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1248536605&clientId=70192