Successful with the Net Generation

Through the reading of chapter 8 in Educause, I do not feel it will be that difficult to be successful with the Net Generation. The creators of online sites such as bugscope, webworks and other sites found and bookmarked, to utilize in science class, have done all the work. Yes, it is up to me to get on those sites, use them, manipulate them and incorporate them into the class curriculum but once doing so, the student experience will be well worth it. Many schools are not as up to snuff with their current science labs. To be able to plug into some of these sites, students are exposed to visuals that many other more funded schools are privileged to.

The visuals that are available via the internet allow students to see things that many students in the not so distant past could never hope to see. The exposures are incredible and they need to appreciate this technology.

I really like the segment in the reading discussing the Goals of Education and particularly this:

We must prepare all young people for lives of creativity, citizenship, and social responsibility as well as success in a workplace increasingly shaped by science and technology.

and

There are many approaches to articulating the purposes of a college education. All involve bringing together intellectual engagement and cognitive development with emotional maturity and social responsibility

I do not think I ever gave thought to this and it is articulated well here.

It is our responsibility as educators to make sure our students are kept up to date with current technologies. It is my responsibility to be successful in teaching the net generation by adapting to interactive sites and other computer based forums. It is what they are accustomed to and what they will be utilizing in their professional careers and that being said, I will be successful.

To quote from the text:

"As one faculty member put it, "Technology is a giant mirror reflecting back to you your own deepest issues. It challenges you to clarify what you value, to rediscover why you went into teaching in the first place, and to be honest about whether your original hopes have been realized. ". In the context of technology - I would be doing the students a great diservice by not being able to teach with all the current technology that is out there and sharing how to find such learning skills for their own betterment in my content area or any they are interested in.