Computers, the internet and our students

Just this week I was talking to a beginning teacher in my curriculum bank. We were discussing the pros and cons of handwriting drafts or typing. After a lengthy discussion, about how we work best at typing, he decided to try the computer labs first. They spent one lesson drafting dot points, putting down page numbers for quotes on paper and discussing their ideas and arguments. And then straight into the computer lab for typing. After an hour and 45 minutes in the computer lab the majority of students have nearly finished their essays. They’ve been able to edit as they go and ask for help while they type. When we compared this to 2 – 3 lessons handwriting drafts and 2 lessons typing, the answer was obvious to us. Computers have made our lives easier, we’ve got them at our school, students are going to be expected to use them in the workplace, this is what our students are used to.

At the same time my students were typing their information reports, they had all the information in their books ready to go, so they were just typing. What I’ve noticed as a teacher is that some of our students are hopeless at word. They don’t know how to do basic formatting. To centre a title the press space bar until they think it is there. They don’t know how to do a simple header or footer (or what it is.) 1.5 spacing is a completely new concept to them. These students are not computer illiterate, they navigate through computer games and websites like pros. I don’t think it is an equity issue, it isn’t about the students who have a computer at home. I think …. word, publisher, excel … are actually heading in the same direction as the pen and paper.

How many assignments have we submitted to Bill as word documents? … none! We don’t even use word to write up our learning elements any more. We’re not only using our wiki to submit assignments but we’re also documenting our research on one. My students can navigate through a wiki better than word.

As I said above, I don’t think it is about who has a computer at home and who doesn’t. I think that our students (see Rachael post new media, new literacy as even more proof) have grown up immersed in a world where computers and new technologies are all around us. Similar to Rachael’s daughter (as talked about in the post) I have three younger cousin who I used to look after regularly. The youngest one is now 8. I remember when he was 5 and I was looking after him and his two older siblings while his parents were away, while I was folding the washing , he found my laptop. He managed to turn it on and begin naviagting his was around. When I found him he was on the internet googling his favourite movie Shrek. Now when I see him, the first thing he does is steal my iPhone from my pocket, find a game and starts beating my high scores (neither of his parents own an iPhone and his older sister is the only one with an iPod and it is an older one not an iPod touch.) So how can he do this? I don’t have an explanation. I do know that when Grandma locked her phone, stopping her from being able to call anyone or receive any calls, he was the one who fixed the situtation. This is not a nerdy child, he is a non stop running, sporty student. If you could read his reports the underlying subtext would be …. has he been tested for ADD?

So why … ? Everything these students do or see is surrounded by technology. I use it in the classroom. They’re parents use it at home. Even tv’s are no longer just ‘on’ ‘off’. They no longer need a computer to access internet and questions no longer go unasked, ‘google’ is now a verb.

So … I think it’s time we started re-thinking our views on children, technology and education, AGAIN!

Just to add …. sorry the information is halfway through this clip. It’s called the one laptop per child project happening in the NT. What I found really interesting was when the children were given the laptops, they were given free time for about an hour. These children who have barely any access to a phone, let alone computers and the internet were able to play, navigate and have a go!

I also found this article quite interesting, Internet and your kids: navigating the boundaries.

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