Right... so we've established that we are worlds apart in our 'thinking' and 'processing' compared to how the digital generation learners think and process information but... is this really a bad thing? It could be like salt and pepper or lemon juice and sugar whereby they compliment each other. The purpose of the course 'managing e learning' is about learning how to 'manage' e learning - it wasn't titled 'extreme e learning' or 'excessive e learning'! We need to be mindful as learning managers that if we fuel the digital fire too much we may be partially responsible for creating anti social behaviours.
It is a common belief held by many that the digital natives of society already have 'too much' exposure to digital technology and are finding it difficult to communicate or relate with anyone outside of their generation...
I am beginning to see that there is a big difference between 'digital exposure' and the 'effective use of digit technology' (particularly in relation to a classroom environment). Too much of digital technology is not a good thing and to ignore it is not good either - as always and in everything that we do in life there needs to be a healthy balance. Now, having said this, maybe we could do a little 'rubbing off' on each other - a bit of salt and pepper or lemon and sugar?
Through our eyes we can help our young learners to see the 'value' of learning through and with information and communication technologies (ICT's) and 'where' and 'when' they are applicable. Through their eyes they can help us to see the more social aspects of ICT's that they are so familiar with. Perhaps we can meet somewhere in the middle of the 'digital bridge' that separates us and together look along the ravine rather than over each side of it!
Recently we have taken part in a collaborative e learning activity using a wiki page. Although I was a little apprehensive at first (mainly because I had only just learned what a 'wiki' is) I was pleasantly surprised of how easy it was to take part in. The speed in which the document came together (and is still coming together) and how it provoked a higher order of thinking as a 'thought feeding thought' process was fantastic to experience and be part of. Having the chance to read others' information, research, thoughts, opinions and views allowed me the opportunity to reflect and to think about my thinking. It's not often that this type of opportunity arises in straight 'face to face' communication until after you have left the discussion and have had time to think and reflect - often by then it's too late to add what could have been a very beneficial discussion view point. If I learn or think of something more to add today I can simply jump on line and add it. A wiki to me is like a big revolving thought provoker - a 'snowball of thought' that keeps rolling and growing, rolling and growing on a infinite sloping snow field of information and thought, constantly gathering momentum.
Initially I was concerned that using a wiki would only expose learners to only 1 or 2 learning styles or senses but I can now see that it has the potential to expose learners to many learning styles (dependent of course on how and what content is shared). Some chose to to be quite descriptive with what they entered and from a learning managers view point I had chance to see inside their mind and to learn a bit about their thought processing - something that you don't often get the opportunity of seeing . Others chose one or two lines of thought provoking wisdom that took time for me to digest. Some placed links to websites within their text that allowed further learning opportunities. There doesn't appear to be any 'wrong' or 'right' way of going about it and surprisingly it all seemed to compliment each other.
One thing that I did notice however, is that a wiki doesn't really expose a learner to the physical/kinesthetic senses - maybe we can work on this? I personally would like to explore the possibility of trying to draw a picture on the wiki, not quite sure how to go about this yet? One thing that I do know for certain is that after being involved in this experience I will be using wikis as learning tools where appropriate in my classroom - I now 'see' and 'understand' their value. The old saying of "tell me and I will forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me and I will understand" shouts out load to me.
So what will it be... a bit of salt and pepper or a little lemon and sugar? However we go about it let's choose to meet in the middle of the 'digital bridge' so that we (learning manager and learner alike) can 'see' more together...
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