Marc Prensky Blog

Marc Prensky Blog

After reading the Marc Prensky articles I would have to consider myself mostly a digital native. Maybe a little bit of a digital immigrant because I didn’t grow up with video games or a computer as a kid but I picked all of it up really fast. I started young on computers and have been using them ever since. In Prensky’s Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants article he explains immigrants as “those who were born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are, and always will be compared to them, Digital Immigrants.” It later talks about the immigrants having an accent which are little signs that show their old style of learning a little. I think I might have a bit of an accent the way Prensky describes.

My first experience with computers in the classroom was back in grade school at some point. I don’t exactly remember the grade level. It started with using email and learning how to type. I later went to a summer computer camp because I enjoyed computers so much. I learned how to use different programs to do certain projects with. I even learned how to surf the world wide web. This learning continued as I kept using computers in class through the end of grade school.

I was hooked at this point. I talked my mom into getting a computer for the house and I went on to take advanced computers in middle school. At this point I was challenged greatly. I had to learn a whole bunch of new stuff. As mentioned in the articles though I was engaged and really interested in learning more. These experiences have really shaped my learning and have helped me become somewhat computer savvy today.

I do see myself using more technology in my classroom. The articles have made a valid point and it seems like you couldn’t teach a class without some use of technology. As it says in the article Engage Me or Enrage Me, “Students today have all kinds of things in their lives that are engaging.” If this is the case then naturally students will be bored in class. They get accused of having short attention spans even. Prensky goes on to say “Students certainly don’t have short attention spans for their games, moves, music or internet surfing.” It’s not that they have a short attention span. It is because we need to make class more engaging built around the students interests.

As a future PE teacher I have already seen the use of video games such as Dance Dance Revolution or even Nintendo WII games such as WII Fit or WII Sports. It’s a great way to get kids excited for exercise. The use of technology is more important now than ever. Every teacher should start finding ways to incorporate it into their classrooms.

Introduction

Hello everyone,

For those of you who don't know already my name is Kyle Hoelzer. I am getting my endorsements in physical education and health. My main goal with this is to be a PE teacher and coach. For my favorite animal I would have to say it would be a dog. If I had to pick a favorite dog I would say I've always wanted a beagle. I think they're cute and not too big or small. Just a little noisy at times. So I hope to own one someday.