Lesson 4: Bridging the Generation Gap

Content

          This lesson presents the view that beliefs, history, research, and policy are essential to changing the educational system with technology. The content should help teachers reflect on what is happening as the center of learning power moves outside the classroom. The suggestions for use of technology are designed to help educators ease into the use of technology rather than leap off the cliff of innovation, developing confidence and competence in their teaching. Teachers of young children are the technology gatekeepers in childcare programs. They are vital to the appropriate use of technology, yet little is documented concerning training and understanding of teachers’ role in classrooms.

Experience

            In whatever aspects in life there is always a gap: in economics, fashion and education. The education system from the past is different from today. With the presence of technology make it a lot more different. 21^st century learners are highly active and updated when it comes to using technology. I honestly am still on the process of studying the new applications and the trending software.

Reflection

            One way to understand the potential generation gap between educators and learners is to view the difference between “digital natives” and “digital immigrants.” Members of the Net Generation are digital natives, that is, they are born into a culture that speaks the digital language of computers. Digital immigrants, by contrast, are those to whom computer-ese is foreign.  To bridge the potential generation gap, educators need to develop new learning tools, and in essence see teaching and learning in new ways. Indeed, according to Prensky, 2001, “todayʼs students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach”. As a result, many faculties are starting to consider using games to enhance their courses. As a future teacher we must be able to compromise or somewhat exceed ourselves to what our learners can actually do.

Application

          By this, we could find new ways in teaching our lesson to our students with the use of appropriate teaching strategies with technologies that would aid us in teaching such that we show them simulations, videos and involve them in the process. Technologies that can support such immersive learning environments are converging and maturing in the mass market and the feasibility of using them in higher education is increasing. Games and simulations are one way to teach this Net Generation in their own language. Games can present content in ways that were previously unavailable, thus facilitating new understandings of traditional and new learning materials, creating innovative avenues for research and assessment, and energizing discussions about the future of higher education.