"Generation IM: Getting Through to Today's Teched-out Children"

I read the article "Generation IM: Getting Through to Today's Teched-out Children" by Curwood, 2008, and was surprised to see how much of myself I recognized in it. At the very beginning of the article it talks about children being able to media multi-task, something I do every day. It's something I have almost always done - listened to music while doing homework and IM-ing a friend all at the same time. For me it is weird to think of NOT having a lifestyle like this.

That then made me think about some of the kids I babysit for. They are exposed to so much more technology than I ever was. I remember playing video games after school and watching TV, but the level at which kids today are able to do such things is ten times greater than when I was that age. With those thoughts in mind, I was able to really understand and agree with the majority of what the article said.

Today's generation does need to be taught in a new way - incorporating the technology that they are already so familiar with, but also giving those students who might not have the access to technology at home, a chance to learn and keep up with their peers.

However, while I agree that technology does need to be incorporated in the classroom, and their exposure to technology has definitely changed the way their minds process information, I don't think that we can completely discount traditional education techniques. Children still need to be able to function in hands-on activities, with person to person contact. I think it is important that we not take either side to the extreme, but that the key is an integration of the two worlds.