Digital Natives Part 2

Again, I did a separate post for these two parts because the matter I'm talking about here wasn't necessarily related to what I spoke of previously.

The thing that stood out most to me in this part was the bit about the attention span of digital natives.  Anyone who knows me well knows I have ADD, and this article served as a staunch reminder of how ADD children and other children who struggle with attention span can conquer it through the use of digital technology. 

I think digital media it EXTREMELY important for today's children in the school environment, because from what Prensky says, it teaches one thing that school don't typically teach: MULTITASKING.  We were NEVER allowed to multitask in public school--if we tried, we would be accused of disrupting class or not paying attention, and told to focus SPECIFICALLY on what the teacher was talking about.  Not only does multitasking keep attention spans going, but it's a practical skill that will be used in real life, and it could program the kids to retain more information at one given time.  Wanna know what I remember most from grade school?  Michigan had a fight with Ohio over the Toledo Strip."  Wanna know what I remember most from middle school? "Japan got nuked twice in WWII" 

Wanna know what I remember most about high school?  The radio station I worked at in between my classes, and numerous pranks I pulled after figuring out that quiet students never get in trouble.


College has been the ONLY PLACE that has encouraged multitasking, and even that's a stretch, because it differs from teacher to teacher.

Do I think this generation's brain has changed? Yes, I do.  Do I think the educational system needs to adapt to this change?

FUCK YES I do.