Culminating+Activity+3

Please post your persuasive essays!

The 1's

Students today are learning differently then they have ever before, creating a communication gap between teachers and themselves. Today’s students enjoy more success when they can engage themselves in collaborative and multi-modal experiences. Not only do we need more access to technology in our classrooms to better meet the needs of our students, but we need the support in time and training. Without this shift in education we are widening the gap.

Team 2: “We can no longer afford to educate today’s students for tomorrow’s world with yesterday’s schools.” -John Chapin Our students of the Net Generation respond to random access to hyperlinked multimedia information and learning that is relevant, active, instantly useful and fun. We believe that school administration should invest in providing the resources to give the appropriate, accessible education required by today’s students. In order to achieve this goal, school districts need to invest in 21st century technological hardware to access the multitude of free programming available. This includes investing in Smartboards, projectors, and laptops. Additionally, professional development is a necessity to realize the needs of the 21st century learner. Without sufficient time and support teachers and students will be unable to utilize the investment in technological hardware. If this investment is not made, students will be unprepared for a world that demands informational and technological fluency. Our students will disenfranchised from digital citizenship.

To whom it may concern, The net generation is changing rapidly. We have the challenge to adapt our thinking as well as our budgeting for our yearly school resources. Instead of continuing to order our resources from the past, we need to begin thinking ahead of the digital age and decide what may benefit our students in the long run. The written text that we have used for years may have disadvantages in the upcoming years. There are so many possibilities to improve our students’ education by allocating our budget in new ways. By subscribing to online newspaper subscriptions, we can teach our students about “going green” and improve the environment. If we decide to invest in web based text versions of our books, students will have more access to those written works, will have less to transport between home and school and will provide advantages to those with disabilities. Please consider our suggestions for improving our school environment to embrace the net generation and its ever changing world.

Respectfully submitted,

The 5 Group (Colleen, Karen and Denise)

The 6's (Kevin, Jessie, Andrew)

Today’s generation of students are growing up in an ever-changing world of technology. Because technology changes so frequently, our students are already accustomed to learning quickly. With this in mind, we must allow ourselves to be equipped to reach these learners in ways that are fulfilling, fun, yet making ways to fulfill the needs of the curriculum as well. Allowing for various media in our classrooms helps us help our students with what the future may bring. By providing our students with these opportunities, we are helping them maximize their learning and preparing them with lifelong skills.

The Cuatro's(Joe, Erin & Krissi) Dear Administration, The future of technology is now, and as times are changing, so are the lessons and strategies implemented by the teachers. A school wide overhaul of digital technology is necessary in order to incorporate technology into the classrooms. As a way to engage students into the lessons, interactive and hands on collaborative learning must take place. The necessary steps to meet these needs starts with the chance of learning how to teach using technology through inservices showing how and why it a necessary tool. The amount of information and tools to teach are not known to most teachers, so through making teachers aware of what’s there for them, we can utilize technology to the max. Since students need immediate gratification, the best way to give them this is through technology. They are the digital age, and we need to catch up. As students get older, technology will increase, especially with job opportunities, and we need to prepare them for the future through implementing lessons using technology. Group 7 (Jamie, Kathy, Lauren) Argument on how the net generation is changing education Most online media and software is free. So once students have computer access in every classroom the district will start saving money. Going digital in the classroom students can collaborate together, peer edit, and work at the same time while the teacher sits in digitally. By using online sites students can use online media and software and not worry about home compatibility. We believe that students will need these skills in the workforce from neurosurgeons to mechanics. Lastly computer usage form the workforce to the classroom doesn’t meet up. In our estimation 90% of the jobs use computers on a regular basis. How many classrooms do? We feel that we are not preparing our kids to be competitive in the job market.

3 - Kylie, Josephine, Joanne

Education in schools needs to adapt to the learning styles of the net generations, because the net generation is used to receiving information through texts, emails, and im’s. The information they receive is not delivered in a linear fashion. The students need to engage in problem solving, and communication skills. The students need to have real life applications. The students should be allowed the opportunity to work on computers in the classroom. The classroom should be redesigned for a technology infused curriculum.