Personal Reflections by Kristi Niichel on
Growing Up Digital

This book created contradictory emotions in me.  I wavered between hope and excitement about what the future of education will hold due to the needs and learning styles of the Net Generation and fear of a widening gap between the students I serve and the rest of the N-Gen.

Perhaps the greatest positives I see in the way Tapscott feels education must change to meet the needs of the N-Gen is the change in how students work.  As I went through school, there was little opportunity for self-direction in learning.  If I finished an assignment early, the only option available to me was to read a book or help another student.  In the future of education as outlined by Tapscott, students will be able to be creative and approach subject matter in a way that is of interest to them.  Students will be able to extend their knowledge in a myriad of ways.  Gone is the push to be the first one completed with the worksheet the teacher handed out and in is the internal push to learn as much as possible about a subject and share that information with peers in unique and creative ways.  Knowledge must be assessed in alternative ways.

With "Growing Up Digital" as an agent,  I reflected back on coursework I have done over the past two years.  As I reflected,  I was struck with the change in my approach to learning.  When I was young, I took the assignment the teacher gave me and completed it as my duty.  Now, I become annoyed if I must complete an assignment that is not relevant to my interests and needs.  I find myself working much harder and learning more on meaningful assignments than those I complete only to earn the grade.  Our students are no different.  Learning must be relevant and fun.  In a society where knowledge is growing exponentially, we must promote in them the love of learning.

With the increased access to and ability to share knowledge that is available today, we must find a way to ensure that the Digital Divide does not widen.  Few of the students that I work with have the ability to access this knowledge from home.  With over 90% of the students at my school receiving free or reduced lunch, most cannot afford a computer and a connection to the Internet.  This fact make me even more aware of the need for our school to integrate technology into the curriculum.  We must seek out unique ways to bring technology to our students.  We have taken the first step with a fast district network, at least one connected computer in each classroom,  and a fully connected computer lab.  The next step is harder - teacher training in the use and integration of technology.  Unfortunately, I don't have an easy solution for this.  I have been involved in a Masters cohort that has given me the necessary training, but not every teacher can or will take advantage of this.  I can only do my best to act as a model and support to other teachers and hope that our school's transition to a technology-integrated school is a smooth and relatively rapid one.