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Can you refer me to the studies that actually prove that Gen Y learns differently? This is an often quoted point, but I've never seen anything that really backed it up honestly. I mean in a cognitive science kind of way, not in a "my four year old niece plays educational games on the computer" kind of way.
Because they use different technology there seems to be an assumption of difference, but I've never seen the studies that back up a real difference in how learning takes place. Have you? On what foundation are you basing your conclusion that the "problem" is the methods used.
I don't think it's an either/or and I agree that teachers need to implement the kind of technologies that kids will be expected to use. (For example, learning how to use an online database for research is probably more important than learning how to physically find stuff in the media center.) But my concern is that the new "Gen Y" elements may not really add anything to the basic skill that the kid needs to master. If you can't comprehend the articles you find, you're screwed no matter what format they are in. Everyone is worrying about the how and shifting it around when it's the what that really needs focusing on.
And if you are teaching kids how to read research, it really does make sense to have that skill depended on the fewest number of variables. Not, will the local internet server be functioning that day and will each of the kid's computer be working, but does everyone have a book or a photocopy? When we're talking about what we do one on one instant is good. When you are teaching basic skills to a group of 30 people, steady may be better. When they move beyond basic, then it makes sense to encourage independent exploration and mastery.
About the textbooks, if the book is for an 11th or 12th grade class, dumbing it down reflects a lowering of expectations for the group of kids above the average reading level. Newspapers have been at that level for a long time. (At least since I was in 7th grade and took our cheesy media studies elective.) I don't think the textbooks have. The assumption apparently used to be that if you were taking American Literature or American History at the 11th grade level that you basically read at an 11th grade level. Today, not so much.
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