Digital Immigrants Teaching Digital Learners

Reading this article made me inspired and challenged to integrate technology in my classroom. I want to be able to reach my students in relevant and differentiated ways, engaging all types of intelligences. Integrating technology into the classroom means staying current, embracing, and utilizing technology wherever possible: whether it be as simplistic as taking attendance via popping balloons on a Smartboard, or having students create a simple computer game to study American History. As a Digital Immigrant, that is, one who did not grow up or was educated in a technology forward environment, I have to adapt to my learners, the Digital Natives. The role of the teacher has changed because our students of this generation have changed. They are not the learners that we once were. A teacher needs to work to engage his or her students using methods that their students find comfortable and familiar. When once the student had to adapt to a teacher's style, more than ever before, teachers need to adapt to their students' world to be successful. When I was a student, we began to get computers in our classrooms, but they were used mostly for free time and for playing fun, educational games. Nothing that was especially relevant to what we were learning in school. I took a Computer Literacy class my first year in college, and recalled with amazement when my daughter learned the same types of things about computers while in 4th grade.

Some specific strategies that educators can use to address the needs of Digital Learners in their classroom are:

• Being open to learning and staying current on technology.

• Use different methods to address different learning styles.

• Stay passionate about the students and their success - the rest will follow.

21st Century Skills

Some common themes that I observed in the videos about 21st Century Skills were: technology/digital generation, engagement, sharing information, creativity, and self-directed learning. 21st Century Skills mean problem-solving, innovative thinking, creative expression, the ability to adapt to change, and using technology. These skills are vitally important for today's learners because most of them will have jobs that do not even exist yet. Educators must prepare students to be able to adapt, achieve, and compete in our fast-paced and ever new emerging age. The role of technology is HUGE. 21st Century learners are of the digital generation, as educators, we need to embrace this and empower our students to utilize these skills.

Some questions I had, regarding 21st Century Skills, were:

• How do I learn to use these technologies well enough to use them as teaching/learning tools?

• Will I be able to stay abreast of new technologies to engage my students?

• Are some of these new skills making vital social skills unnecessary? (eye contact, conversation, etc.)