CURA PERSONALIS AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL AGE

Concerning Digital Natives

History of the phrase “digital native” First used my Marc Prensky in “Digital

Natives, Digital Immigrants” (2001)He has since updated this to “digital

wisdom” as of 2012 John Parry Barlow said in 1996, “You

are terrified of your own children, since they are natives in a world where you will always be immigrants.”

Prelection

What is Cura Personalis? Help our students understand their inherent

human dignity Help our students reach their greatest human

potential Teach our students to share their experience and

knowledge with others To act in a way, ourselves, that reflects this growth Do we do these things in regards to technology? In regards to technology, do we have to write

statements that begin with “Help our students avoid…” or “Teach our students not to…”?

Who are we teaching?

Do we understand their experiences? Our students were born between 1998

and 2002Academy Award for Best Picture in 1998

went to Saving Private RyanIn 2002 it went to Chicago (The Two Towers

was nominated) They have been around technology their

whole lives They have only experienced a post 9/11

world, for all intents and purposes

What technology are they familiar with?

Modern students come in to the classroom fluent in:EntertainmentCommunicationSocial Media

Most have never been taught how to use technology for any other purpose

How is this going to look?

What are our hesitations?

What does this mean for us?

Where does the mission of being counter-cultural come into play?

What specific technology objectives should we write into our respective curricula?

What should the focus be?

Danah Boyd, author of “It’s Complicated”“the rhetoric of 'digital natives'" is dangerous

because it distorts the realities of kids' virtual lives, the result being that they don't learn what they need to know about online living

Reuben Loewy, “Living Online Lab”Students have “a distorted view of the digital

world. It is a view that reflects the fears of adults rather than the aspirations of youth.”

From a study by Shiang-Kwei Wang

“Students were not tech savvy in the classroom. Most were not very familiar with information and communication technology…designed to make information production and sharing easier. Their teachers…depended much more on using technology to solve daily problems, to improve productivity, and as learning aids.”

What do we need to do?

Students must be given the opportunity to use technology to:Solve problemsEnhance ProductivityDevelop Creativity

Therefore teachers must be given training on how to do this

What are the basics?

Students are now used to having immediate access to all the information

Proper technology useStudents are going to use whatever

technology is available to themThe teacher is responsible for

demonstrating proper use and giving opportunity for proper use

What does my classroom look like?

Rockhurst High School

We are 1-to-1 with iPads I put note outlines online every day I fill in the notes on the board using

Apple TV I post a PDF of the completed notes

every day I post a video of the class every day Once the students have access to a

digital document, I never take it away

What do I use? MyHomework (app and website)

Google Drive (app and website)

Explain Everything (iPad app and in the Microsoft Store for tablets)

Notability (iPad app, might be added to the Microsoft Store)

MatLab (Mathematical Programming Software)

What is the benefit?

Students always have something they should be doing with their iPad

Students have access to all the pertinent information for my class

MatLab will help familiarize them with a new language

I still struggled with showing them how to take advantage of all of these resources, though

What do we have to say?