Something For Art

I’ve heard of his ideas on “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants”, but never did examine them in greater depth, so today I decided to spend some time reading a couple of his articles. Here’s my brief summary of his key ideas:

Prensky famously coined the term “digital natives”, referring to today’s students who’ve grown up immersed in technology and “digital immigrants” to describe us, the generation born in the pre-digital era. In his writings, he constantly urged educators to ponder over this: “Schools are stuck in the 20th century. Students have rushed into the 21st. How can schools catch up and provide students with a relevant education?”

Our students, native dwellers in the digital environment, “think and process information fundamentally differently” from us who teach them. To bridge the divide, we have to change, our teaching methods need to be adapted to accommodate today’s digital learners.

“We need to invent Digital Native methodologies for all subjects, at all levels, using our students to guide us…to help us learn and integrate” and to make sense of these rapidly advancing tools.

It is not just about using technology, it is about the pedagogy too. It is about designing curriculum that takes advantage of the technological tools which our students are proficient in. The key is to help them harness technology and use it effectively for learning.

We also need to listen to them, consult them, identify what they want to learn and how to learn. “We can no longer decide for our students; we must decide with them.” And we facilitate, not teach, we create an environment in which they can learn best. After all, it is our aim to “engage”, not “enrage” them.

Educators definitely require a major paradigm shift in order to provide our students with an education that is “meaningful, worthwhile, and relevant to the future“. We need to observe the emerging trends, and move on with the tides to remain relevant in the 21st century.

Prensky also said, “Students should be learning 21st century subject matter”. The question for me is “What then is the 21st century subject matter for Art?” Something for me to chew on.

U may like to visit his site to access his articles, they provide a good overview of the changing educational landscape.