Generation Y: Student Inclusion = Technology Infusion

SUMMARY:

This article is about how technology has taken off and succeeds in improving nearly all aspects of our everyday lives but it is not having this same impact in the schools.  Technology integration in schools is meant to help improve learning for students, yet the students are hardly ever involved in planning what technology they will be using.  It is pretty clear in most schools that technology integration has not been very successful but getting to the bottom of the reason why it hasn't worked is the big question.  The authors of this article believe that it is because the students, who represent the greatest percentage of a schools population, are not being involved in the process of integrating technology.  It is entirely for them so why are they not being involved in the process?  Many students are very in to technology and a lot of them will know more about technology than their teachers.  The Technology Director of the Olympia Washington School District created the project Generation WHY, with this question in mind: "The question is how to harness the students' technology expertise and at the same time, expand their learning opportunities."  These students can provide the extra technology support that teachers are not getting and at the same time the students are being taught pedagogy and how to lesson plan.  The system works by setting up a teacher who needs technology support, with a student and they work together to create technology savvy lessons.

Generation WHY started out here in Washington and has now spread across the nation all the way to Washington D.C.

MY THOUGHTS:

I think that any time students can become involved in their education it is a good idea.  Many students these days are tech savvy because it is how they grew up, so to connect their interests and something they are good at with their education and curriculum is great opportunity in my opinion.  The one thing that I would worry about is that the line between student and teacher may fade when students become involved in the educational planning of lessons.  If one student is helping their teacher with lessons all the time then I could see problems arising.  I also don't really see the need for the specific program.  I feel that schools can set this up on their own, or even teachers.  Teachers should know which of their students are good with technology and then they can ask them for help.  Creating a club or creating a technology support class for credits is another idea that I think could work.  Overall I love the idea of students helping teaching and becoming involved in teaching and their learning.

Martinez, S & Harper, D.  (2002).  Generation Y: Student Inclusion = Technology Infusion.  New Horizons For Learning.

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/technology/martinez.htm