1. Teaching the 21st Century Learner Roger Von Holzen Darla Runyon Northwest Missouri State University http://cite.nwmissouri.edu/presentations/

2. 2 Goals Describe 21st century learners Discuss how to teach the 21 st century learner

3. 3 Pop Quiz #1 What do these chat acronyms stand for? –B4 –LOL –POS –GNSTDLTBBB –CUL8R –KSUSHYGEMA

4. 4 Pop Quiz #2 What do these emoticons mean? ;-) >:-( ^5 (((((name)))) (::()::) @[_]~~

5. 5 Us vs. Them http://www.sciencemag.org http://www.brainpop.com http://www.yahoo.com http://yahooligans.yahoo.com http://www.ask.com http://www.ajkids.com http://www.hgtv.com http://www.nick.com http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com http://www.sikids.com Digital Generations

6. 6 Children age 6 and under… Spend 2:01 hours / day playing outside Spend 1:58 hours using computers Spend 40 minutes reading or being read to 48% of children have used a computer 27% 4-6 year olds use a computer daily 39% use a computer several times a week 30% have played video games* Kaiser Family Foundation, 2003

7. 7 By age 21… The average person will have –sent 200,000 emails –watched 20,000 hours of TV –talked 10,000 hours on a cell phone –spent under 5,000 hours reading –played 10,000 hours video games* Prensky, 2003

8. 8 Technology & the New Learner Do video games pose a challenge to education? –The time and money that students spend on gaming indicates pervasive role of entertainment in our culture –Insight into engagement, not entertainment Video games challenge K-12 and higher ed to foster engagement in learning*

9. 9 Today’s Learners… Crave interactivity Read visual images –Weak reading skills Visual-spatial skills Parallel processing Inductive discovery Fast response time –Short attention span* Prensky, 2001

10. 10 Technology & the New Learner By the time today’s kindergarteners graduate from grade 12 –information will have doubled at least seven times –technological power will have doubled itself nearly nine times*

11. 11 CHANGE We are here Singularity: Digital Technology Our Lives TIME © 2005 Marc Prensky

12. 12 CHANGE Our Students’ Lives TIME © 2005 Marc Prensky

13. 13 Teaching the New Learner Requires: –much less emphasis on the amount of material memorized –much more emphasis on making connections, thinking through issues, solving problems*

14. 14 Teaching the New Learner Learning now a life-long process of coping with change The content of a particular lesson less important than manipulating content resources Learning how to learn is the basis of education*

15. 15 Teaching the New Learner Multimedia format pervades nearly every part of life –Television –Audio –Animation –Text Students live in a world of digital, audio, and text –They expect a similar approach in classroom, which they often don’t get*

16. 16

17. 17 Students: Multitasking Pictures, sound, video Random access Interactive and networked Faculty: Single or limited tasks Text Linear, logical, sequential Independent and individual*

18. 18 Teaching the New Learner Teacher’s Role: –No longer the professor dispensing facts and theories Old model: primary challenge of learning is to absorb specific information –A participant in the learning process Faculty role will be unbundled--teacher to mentor Facilitate peer-to-peer learning*

19. 19 Teaching the New Learner Instructional implications –Movement toward blended courses –More collaborative learning approaches –Continuous and formative assessment –Greater flexibility and customization of course content to meet learner needs*

20. 20 Teaching the New Learner Interactive course site features –Online quizzes –Forms for providing feedback or asking questions –Online voting –Games –Features for sharing pictures or stories –Virtual discussions through threaded discussion boards, blogs, wikis, and chat –Features for creating/adding content –Videoconferencing –Online collaborations via whiteboards*

21. 21 Learning Spaces Wireless technology enabled learning spaces within the classroom –Projection screens –Document cameras –DVD players –Video conferencing tools –Tablet PCs –Collaborative classroom software such as OneNote –Student response systems*

22. 22 Learning Spaces Library modules within the building and virtually within the course management system –Dual monitors for group work and collaboration in pod designs –Library research units/modules that can be duplicated into any course site –Library course sites for specific content delivery –Online library support*

23. 23 Pedagogical Approaches Blended instruction and learning –Face-to-face interaction and activity –Online interaction and activity –Experiential interaction and activity Allow learning to happen easily outside the classroom –End of class is a transition to another learning space –More time spent with content*

24. 24 Pedagogical Approaches Collaborative learning through group/team projects –Developed using multimedia processes –Provides a more powerful learning approach than a term paper—authentic learning Looking for practical applications, real-world context Focus more on applying classroom lessons to real-life problems, institutions, or organizations –Allows students to focus on their learning style strengths*

25. 25 Faculty Training We need to have a new set of expectations of faculty Foster a technology culture –Need for continuous faculty training –Resources and support should be available Reward innovation in technology- rich learning environments*

26. 26 Adults look at going online as entering a foreign place called cyberspace. 21st Century Learners look at it as where they live.

27. 27 The New Technologies Can help create a learning culture in which the learner enjoys enhanced interactivity and connections with others Central issue: How can technology be organized around student learning? –Use tools to help students think and communicate effectively*

28. Roger Von Holzen rvh@nwmissouri.edu Darla Runyon drunyon@nwmissouri.edu Northwest Missouri State University http://cite.nwmissouri.edu/presentations/