The New Age of Students

Digital students today are different from students of the past. Students today rely on the Internet for entertainment and education. In the past, students and their teachers relied on worksheets and traditional pen and paper to do the majority of their learning. However today, students are now involved with podcasts, MySpace, PowerPoint, and other tech-savy programs. It is so true that these technology based programs enhance not only the quality of education, but the level of engagements of students. It seems that technology is changing so fast and because our students today are constantly using technology, they are aware of the changes and can therefore adapt to these changes.

Due to these changes teachers are seeing in students, it is their responsibility to stay on top of and become familiar with technological developments. Teachers are also going to have to find ways to incorporate technology into different subject areas in the classroom. They need to move past photocopying worksheets and need to create authentic, learning tasks where students can use technology to generate their assignments with. Not only does technology enhance education and make it more memorable, but it also raises the level of engagement on behalf of the student. It should also be up to the teacher to make technology accessible in the classroom and allow students ample opportunities to have access to computers whether it be to play an education game or to construct a project to be submitted for a grade. Some teachers are very hesitatnt to incorporate this technology, but its benefits can be seen. It may take some time for teachers to become familiar with all that exists, but with constant exposure and use it becomes far less of an overwhelming task.