Discussion 1

I also found myself disagreeing more with the Prensky article, but found the Straker et al. article helpful, yet lacking in areas. Regarding Prensky's work, I do not agree that all students are Digital Natives. Students come from various backgrounds, and therefore not all students have regular access to technology. I believe it is the job of teachers to make sure each student is reached. For those who have limited technology access, the teacher should start with the basics when assigning work that requires the use of technology, such a computer. The students with more experience in the area then could serve as peer helpers for those who have not had the same access. I do not believe that we, as teachers, should expect every student to have the same experience with technology. I believe this is something that should be factored into our lesson plans and goals as we teach.

Also regarding Prensky's article, I found it troubling that the article seemed to promote teaching through games. It seemed as if he had a game he could put with every subject, and do not feel this is beneficial to students. Subject matter requires thought and can be brought alive through other methods than computer games. I feel the focus in the idea is more on the game than the learning and I find that very troubling. Sure, incorporate technology into learning but not to the point that students expect to be educated through computer games. This seems more geared toward entertainment than education.

Finally, I found Straker et al.'s article to be very educational on the benefits and downfalls of technology use in adolescence. There was an area of research I would like to know more about. It is quoted from reseach that: "House computer ownership has been shown to be positively related to performance on standardised academic tests" (Straker et al., p. 5). I would have liked to know the implications for this research. I furthermore found their principles to be useful in determining the use of technology in adolescence. I look forward to their later articles addressing these principles and what they will provide for the integration of technology in the classroom.