Teens, Technology, and Teaching

I watched the video Digital Youth Portrait: Nafiza. Wow, I must be really behind because I have never heard of "2nd Life" or "Avatar". Besides the movie Avatar of course. It is so crazy how much technology is available to us for the use of learning and education. It amazes me how fast young kids and teens pick up on technologically induced learning. This video was a good example of technology that is used by students that to me seems difficult. They work at understanding how to use 2nd life and Avatars together. They put it all together and made educational videos that were seen by 10s of thousands of people.



I don't relate to the video when it comes to 2nd life, avatars, or video games but I do when it comes to cell phones, ipods, and online social networking. Nafiza mentioned her cell phone being her alarm clock and I do the same thing. I listen to my ipod a lot at home and I also plug it into my car. I am also a Facebook junkie! :D When I was in high school the "it" thing was instant messaging and email. I could be on instant messenger for hours if my parents would have allowed it. I can't imagine being in high school and having an ipod or a facebook page too. I am sure my parents are not too upset that those things weren't around then.

The teacher in the video said that he wants his students to not only use the technology that they know and are familiar with but the technology that they aren't. That is such a good attitude to have. As teacher and future teachers it is important to embrace technology because it is here to stay and improve. He had a great idea to use the technology to make educational videos and to learn to do it as a group. Sometimes trying to figure out techie stuff this day and age is confusing and it helps to have someone to go to like Nafiza was for her fellow classmates.