Podcast- Profiling the Students of Today:

           As educators, it is imperative that we take the time to discover the unique dynamics of our classrooms.  It is clear that students of the 21^st century are entering into the classroom with new skills, and knowledge.  Prior to any formal teaching, many of these students have been exposed to and have had experience with a variety of different technologies.  Theorist Marc Prensky (2001) has coined these students as Digital Natives, a new generation of students, who “are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach” (1).  Digital Natives have been born into a world submerged in technology, therefore they “think and process information fundamentally differently” (Prensky, 2001, 1) than those from past generations. 

            This week I explored the digital abilities and digital learning styles of my students through a short technology survey.  This survey consisted of fifteen questions that focused on students’ technology usage both at home and at school.  Twenty-five fourth grade students were surveyed.  To report our results, myself and seven of my students have created a short five minute podcast. 

            To listen to the podcast, please click on the URL below.  As always, any comments or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

References:

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).

Podcast Link :
http://podcast47790.podomatic.com/entry/2012-06-01T12_41_37-07_00