Digital Natives Vs Digital Immigrants

Personally, I would identify as a digital native. Born in the year 1993, I was alive for most of the current advancements in digital technologies. I use and enjoy most of what the world of technology has to offer to me. I love keeping up with the latest technology trends. With that being said, I do not feel frustrated with my studies as a result of the way technology is used and not used. Being that I am completing my graduate studies online, and most of my courses are teaching me how to implement technology, I feel that technology is being used appropriately. If I am presented with a situation in which I do not know how to use certain technologies, I will become frustrated. However, I will usually "google" and teach myself how to use that certain technology. 

After reading and watching the provided articles and videos about Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants, I feel the stigma us Digital Natives receive is troubling. I definitely do not think I am attached to my devices or unable to interact socially in real life. I also do not think that just because I am a Digital Native, does not mean I do not have the potential to know the implications that technology may bring, as stated by Sree Sreenivasan in Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants. In that sense, I sometimes feel like I am in between. I love technology and I love what it brings to the world of education. However, I do see how too much technology can be a bad thing. I also believe that not everything can be solved with a digital answer; that sometimes, the more traditional route is better.

TED-Ed Lessons

TED-Ed is a platform that allows used to create lessons based off of engaging videos. Users can choose a TED Talk videos, other TED-ed videos, or other videos found on YouTube to create their lessons. Introductions, thinking questions, discussion questions, and closures can be added to supplement the video lessons.

I created my TED-Ed lesson on a question I get asked constantly by my 5th grades; "Why do we have to read?" It's hard to explain question to explain to a 10 year old who would rather be playing outside or on their phones than reading a book. I love John Green and his YouTube video series called CrashCourse. I've used it personally in the past to refresh my memory on certain topics before I taught them. His videos are engaging and straight to the point. Viewers don't have to waste time reading between the lines in order to find the message of the video.

TED-Ed lessons are beneficial for students who have English as a second language. TED-Ed lessons can help students reach certain learning standards. They can help students "listen, speak, read, and write in English for information and understanding." (NYLearns) Like in a flipped classroom model, TED-Ed lessons allow ESL students to control the pace of their learning. They can pause and rewind the videos to better comprehend the lesson. Through TED-Ed lessons, students can learn how to listen with a purpose, thus allowing students to make conclusions about that topic. This falls under the following NYS Learning Standards performance indicator;

Performance Indicator - ESL.I.5-8.1.1.6: Students make and support inferences about information and ideas with reference to features in oral and written text.

Flipped Classrooms

As an elementary and special education teacher, it is hard for me to imagine how a flipped classroom would work. However, Helaine Marshall, author of THREE REASONS TO FLIP YOUR CLASSROOM, gives insight on how a flipped classroom can be beneficial to students, especially English language learners. 

In a flipped classroom, students do their "direct instruction" outside of the classroom through instructional videos. During classroom time, students interact with peers, collaborating on activities geared toward what was watched in the instructional videos. Teachers also use that time to give feedback and ask higher order thinking questions. 

My first thought when reading about flipped classrooms was, "how?" I soon came to the realization that flipped classrooms are probably intended for high school aged and on. Even so, how does the teacher ensure the student is viewing the instructional videos? How does it work in lower-income areas (areas where students may not have that technology at home)? How can educators expect students to do this amount of learning outside of class? What if the student needs to work? Does the student need to view instructional videos for every subject? Where will they find the time?

Trying not to be a pessimist, I decided to read on. Marshall does a great job of outlining why this type of teaching would be beneficial to English language learners. One aspect that I think would be beneficial is the ability to control how you are experiencing your instruction. You can pause and rewind to go over concepts you may not be too sure on. You can also fast forward over concepts you are comfortable with, leaving you more time to focus on concepts you are unsure of. EL learners usually spend most of traditional instruction time trying to comprehend what the teacher is saying. A flipped classroom eliminates this problem. It allows the student to spend more time learning the content, rather than trying to understand the language. 

Overall, I believe flipped classrooms can work with higher-education. Even though I have my doubts, I think that if it were implemented correctly, it would be extremely beneficial to EL learners.