Marc Prensky argues that today's students, or "digital natives", have grown up in a world of rapid technological change and are accustomed to learning through digital tools and social networks. He asserts that schools need to adapt to this change by integrating more 21st century skills like programming, simulation, and multiple language texting into curricula. Prensky also believes schools must teach in more engaging, student-centered ways that compete with how students already learn outside of school through digital media and peer-to-peer sharing.

1. Marc Prensky [email_address] www.marcprensky.com © 2007 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky Handheld Learning 2007 October 11, 2007 London, UK

2. © 2007 Marc Prensky My Education Credentials Master of Arts in Teaching (Yale) Taught High School Math (5 yrs) Ran a Street Academy Taught Elementary School French Taught College Music Still Tutor Math Have interviewed close to 1000 kids

3. © 2007 Marc Prensky Education Projects FL, L.A. Virtual Schools Courses Chemistry Game (MeCHeM) Physics Game (Waste of Space) Periodic Table Cell Phone Game (EleMental) Financial Literacy Game (MoneyU) GAMES A LA CARTE – Make your own Algebra I Game (The Algebots, in development) Reading Teacher Game (to come) Education Projects

4. My Latest Book: © 2007 Marc Prensky

5. © 2007 Marc Prensky How Computer and Video Games Are Preparing Your Kids for Twenty-first Century Success – and How You Can Help!

6. How many of you have sent an email in the past 24 hours? © 2007 Marc Prensky

7. “ Email is for old people ” – A student © 2007 Marc Prensky – A headline in The Chronicle of Higher Education

8. “ Most of us prefer to walk backward into the future… © 2007 Marc Prensky

9. … a posture which may be uncomfortable… © 2007 Marc Prensky

10. … but which at least allows us to keep on looking at familiar things as long as we can.” -- Charles Handy © 2007 Marc Prensky

11. © 2003 Marc Prensky 21 st CENTURY EDUCATOR © 2007 Marc Prensky

12. © 2007 Marc Prensky CHANGE TIME Our Lives © 2007 Marc Prensky We are here Discontinuity: Digital Technology

13. © 2007 Marc Prensky These days NEW TOOLS COME FAST… Sped-up video Picture Search IM/texting Blogs Wikis Wikipedia Podcasting Phone polling My Space Handhelds P2P Complex Games Web 2.0 Web 3.0 Augmented Reality Phone cameras Phone videos GPS You Tube MoSoSo

14. © 2007 Marc Prensky Yahoo search Google search Email IM iPod vPod TV You Tube Hard drives Flash memory … and tool switching is already close to instantaneous

15. © 2007 Marc Prensky CHANGE TIME Our Students’ Lives © 2007 Marc Prensky

16. [our kids were] “born to the idea of rapid change” -- Nicola Griffith in Slow River (1995) © 2007 Marc Prensky

17. © 2007 Marc Prensky The change that is THREATENING to the Immigrants…

18. © 2007 Marc Prensky The change that is THREATENING to the Immigrants… … is EMPOWERING to the natives!

19. © 2007 Marc Prensky It means the nature of education is changing!

20. © 2007 Marc Prensky Inventing new tools to solve problems 21 st Century+ Solving problems with the tools we have Pre - 21 st Century

21. © 2007 Marc Prensky Helping Students Invent New Tools? How many teachers see their job as

22. © 2007 Marc Prensky That’s why Handhelds are SO IMPORTANT!

23. “ We grow up interacting – through computers and through our cell phones – and that’s how we learn. – A graduate student © 2007 Marc Prensky

24. © 2007 Marc Prensky Yet, we have been educating our kids with the same generation of technology AS THIS:

25. © 2007 Marc Prensky 18 th Century Childbirth

26. © 2007 Marc Prensky Medicine has moved into the 21 st century; WHY HASN’T EDUCATION?

27. “ Why do we have to adapt to the past? Why shouldn’t we be taught to in different ways!” – A College student © 2007 Marc Prensky

28. Why You Should Want Your Kids to Have Handhelds © 2007 Marc Prensky

29. © 2007 Marc Prensky CHANGE YEARS Timeline © 2007 Marc Prensky 5 10 15 20 25 30 Technology 1 billion times more powerful Machines more powerful than the human brain Implanted / wearable Real-time environments Handheld computers with Power of today’s super-c Mobile phone wallets

30. © 2003 Marc Prensky 21 st CENTURY EDUCATOR © 2007 Marc Prensky

31. © 2007 Marc Prensky When will all this change END!??

32. © 2007 Marc Prensky IT WON’T !!!

33. We have to GET USED TO the Idea of Rapid Change! © 2007 Marc Prensky

34. © 2007 Marc Prensky … even in our Schools!

35. © 2007 Marc Prensky The world our kids inhabit is already hugely different from our own

36. “ You look at technology as a tool. We look at technology as a foundation – it’s totally integrated into what we do.” – a student © 2007 Marc Prensky

37. © 2007 Marc Prensky It’s time to TURN AROUND!!

38. © 2007 Marc Prensky And FACE the future

39. “ Feel the fear – and do it anyway!” -- Elizabeth Moon in The Speed of Dark (2003) © 2007 Marc Prensky

40. © 2006 Marc Prensky What if we don’t?

41. © 2006 Marc Prensky

45. Of course, our kids can always get the hi-touch non-offshorable jobs… © 2007 Marc Prensky

46. © 2007 Marc Prensky

47. © 2007 Marc Prensky So let’s talk about…

48. © 2007 Marc Prensky 21 st century kids…

49. Who ARE these people, anyway! © 2007 Marc Prensky

50. not “ little us’s” anymore! © 2007 Marc Prensky

52. Today’s younger learners are NOT the ones our systems (and teachers) were designed and trained to teach! © 2003 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky

53. 5-10,000 hours Video Games 250,000 emails and IMs 10,000 hours on cell phones 20,000 hours TV (incl. You tube) 500,000 commercials © 2007 Marc Prensky Why? < 5,000 hours book reading

54. Digital Natives 2 billion ring tones per year 2 billion songs per month 6 billion text messages per day © 2007 Marc Prensky

55. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY © 2007 Marc Prensky

56. Is their BIRTHRIGHT! © 2007 Marc Prensky

57. © 2007 Marc Prensky Sky (b. 2005)

58. © 2007 Marc Prensky

59. “ [Young people] are not just using technology differently today, but are approaching their life and their daily activities differently because of the technology.” --Net Day “Speak-up Day” Summary © 2007 Marc Prensky

60. The emerging ONLINE LIFE of the Digital Native © 2007 Marc Prensky

61. The e-Life Communicating IM, chat Sharing Blogs, MySpace Buying & Selling ebay, craigslist Exchanging peer-to-peer Learning Wikipedia, You Tube, search Meeting Second Life Gaming Online, MMORPGs, Cell Phones Searching Info, connections, people Analyzing SETI, drug molecules Reporting Moblogs, photos Programming Open systems, mods search Socializing Learning social behavior, influence Growing Up Exploring, transgressing Coordinating Projects, workgroups, MMORPGs Evaluating Reputation systems–Epinions, Amazon, Slashdot Collecting Mp3s videos, sensor data Creating Sites, avatars, mods Evolving Peripheral, emergent behaviors © 2007 Marc Prensky Digital Natives REFERENCE

62. The e-Life Communicating IM, chat Sharing Blogs, MySpace Buying & Selling ebay, craigslist Exchanging peer-to-peer Learning Wikipedia, You Tube, search Meeting Second Life Gaming Online, MMORPGs, Cell Phones Searching Info, connections, people Analyzing SETI, drug molecules Reporting Moblogs, photos Programming Open systems, mods search Socializing Learning social behavior, influence Growing Up Exploring, transgressing Coordinating Projects, workgroups, MMORPGs Evaluating Reputation systems–Epinions, Amazon, Slashdot Collecting Mp3s videos, sensor data Creating Sites, avatars, mods Evolving Peripheral, emergent behaviors © 2007 Marc Prensky Digital Natives

63. “ The single largest differentiator … is the social network.” -- Jack Mckenzie, SVP Frank N. Magid Associates © 2007 Marc Prensky

64. “ The single largest differentiator … is the social network.” -- Jack Mckenzie, SVP Frank N. Magid Associates © 2007 Marc Prensky

65. © 2007 Marc Prensky Equity?

66. © 2007 Marc Prensky Yes, some have more access than others, BUT THEY ARE ALL DIGITAL KIDS

67. © 2007 Marc Prensky They are great at sharing, teaching each other, and getting what they need

68. © 2007 Marc Prensky And we need to help make this happen!

69. © 2007 Marc Prensky Instead of bemoaning the “digital divide”, we can be a big part of the Solution!

70. © 2007 Marc Prensky That’s another place Handhelds can help!

71. © 2007 Marc Prensky WHY are so many kids tuning out of today’s school?

72. BORED They’re © 2007 Marc Prensky

73. © 2007 Marc Prensky DEATH To

74. “ Whenever I go to school I have to ‘power down’ ” – a high school student © 2003 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky

75. It’s not attention deficit – I’m just not listening! © 2005 Marc Prensky © 2005 Marc Prensky

76. © 2007 Marc Prensky

77. © 2007 Marc Prensky WHY are our kids SO BORED In school?

78. © 2007 Marc Prensky 1. We’re not teaching them the right stuff

79. © 2007 Marc Prensky TRUE!

80. © 2007 Marc Prensky Because we are too focused on the past

81. © 2007 Marc Prensky And not on their FUTURE!

82. “ My passion is my future.” – a student © 2007 Marc Prensky

83. © 2007 Marc Prensky CHANGE YEARS © 2007 Marc Prensky 5 10 15 20 25 30 Technology 1 billion times more powerful Machines more powerful than the human brain Implanted / wearable Real-time environments Handheld computers with Power of today’s super-c Mobile phone wallets

84. © 2007 Marc Prensky We have to integrate the future into our curriculum!

85. Nanotechnology Bioethics Programming Genomics Proteomics Biomimickry Today’s Kids Need © 2007 Marc Prensky

86. © 2007 Marc Prensky For Logical Thinking: 2 semesters geometry? PROGRAMMING Integrated into all subjects

87. © 2007 Marc Prensky Kids need to learn HTML Cyber English:

88. © 2007 Marc Prensky Kids need to learn SIMULATION Cyber Social Studies

89. © 2007 Marc Prensky Kids need to learn MULTIPLE LANGUAGE TEXTING Cyber Foreign Languages

90. We have to teach Our kids Twenty-first Century Skills! © 2007 Marc Prensky

91. © 2007 Marc Prensky 21 st Century Skills

92. © 2007 Marc Prensky

93. For us to know what makes people effective, and NOT teach it to our kids IS CRIMINAL! © 2007 Marc Prensky

94. 21 st Century Skills 1. Knowing the right thing to do Behaving Ethically Critical Thinking Decision Making Problem Solving Judgment © 2007 Marc Prensky

95. 21 st Century Skills 2. Getting it done Goal Setting Planning Self-Direction Self-Evaluation © 2007 Marc Prensky

96. 21 st Century Skills 3. Doing it with others Communicating/Interacting: With individuals & groups (especially using technol.) Communicating/Interacting: With Machines (= Programming) Communicating/Interacting: With a World Audience © 2007 Marc Prensky

97. 21 st Century Skills 4. Doing it creatively Creative thinking Designing Playing Finding your voice © 2007 Marc Prensky

98. 21 st Century Skills 5. Constantly doing it better Being proactive Prudent risk-taking Thinking long-term Continually improving through learning © 2007 Marc Prensky

99. © 2007 Marc Prensky How do I do all that in this era of Standards and Assessments ?????

100. © 2007 Marc Prensky We have to find a way!

101. © 2007 Marc Prensky My approach: “ Curriculum Deletion”

102. © 2007 Marc Prensky Right now we are full You can’t add something about the future unless you delete something from the past

103. © 2007 Marc Prensky WHY are our kids SO BORED In school?

104. © 2007 Marc Prensky 2. We’re not teaching in the right way

105. © 2007 Marc Prensky ALSO TRUE!

106. © 2007 Marc Prensky THINGS HAVE CHANGED We’re not in the 18 th century anymore, Toto

107. © 2007 Marc Prensky Metaphor

108. Kids used to grow Up in the dark © 2007 Marc Prensky

110. © 2007 Marc Prensky

111. © 2007 Marc Prensky

112. © 2007 Marc Prensky

113. © 2007 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky

114. We were the people © 2007 Marc Prensky Who Showed Students The Light

115. © 2007 Marc Prensky Today’s kids Grow up in the light

116. © 2007 Marc Prensky SCHOOL

117. © 2007 Marc Prensky

118. We want to be the people © 2007 Marc Prensky who Show Students the Light

119. The danger is that… © 2007 Marc Prensky

120. With the very best of intentions, © 2007 Marc Prensky

121. © 2007 Marc Prensky We pull students out of the light into darkness!

122. CAN WE TURN ON THE LIGHTS ??? © 2007 Marc Prensky

123. © 2007 Marc Prensky For the first time,

124. © 2007 Marc Prensky our schools

125. © 2007 Marc Prensky Have some serious competition

126. The kind of learning we want… © 2007 Marc Prensky

127. … where students learn in new ways… © 2007 Marc Prensky

128. … where they’re highly motivated to learn, both on their own and with their peers… © 2007 Marc Prensky

129. … is already happening. © 2007 Marc Prensky

130. Outside of school… © 2007 Marc Prensky

131. … without us! © 2007 Marc Prensky

132. © 2007 Marc Prensky “ After School” (21 st century learning) Future Learning Stuff they Know they Need PULLED BY THEM = Exciting Today’s Education is Bifurcating Quickly “ School” (Credentials) Legacy Stuff Stuff that is Irrelevant PUSHED ON THEM = Boring

133. “ We decided to bypass the schools.” – Deborah Schwartz, MOMA © 2003 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky

134. “ Avoid the schools!” – Dr. James Rosser © 2003 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky

135. “ The greatest opportunity for change is currently found in after-school programs and informal learning communities.” – MacArthur White Paper © 2003 Marc Prensky © 2007 Marc Prensky

136. CAN SCHOOL COMPETE? © 2007 Marc Prensky

137. CAN WE TURN ON THE LIGHTS ??? © 2007 Marc Prensky

138. © 2007 Marc Prensky “ There’s so much separation between how students think and how teachers think” -- a (female) high school junior

139. © 2007 Marc Prensky

140. 3D PRINTER © 2007 Marc Prensky

141. © 2007 Marc Prensky

142. One size fits all Doing & Gameplay learn from © 2007 Marc Prensky teach by One Thing at a Time Linear Stories Presenting & Telling Multi-tasking Lots of Choices Random Access & Exploring Options Delivering content Being Engaged Face-to-face Going Online Going relatively slowly Going really quickly Digital Natives Digital Immigrants

143. © 2007 Marc Prensky “ After school,” the kids have already found a better way to learn

144. © 2007 Marc Prensky “ A New Paradigm” For Learning

145. © 2007 Marc Prensky Kids being taught Kids teaching themselves (with guidance) Old Paradigm New Paradigm BOREDOM ENGAGEMENT

146. The old paradigm requires no technology The new paradigm demands it! © 2007 Marc Prensky

147. In the old paradigm, technology can hinder. In the new paradigm technology is required! © 2007 Marc Prensky

148. The Five Stages of Teachers and Technology © 2007 Marc Prensky

149. TECHNOLOGY © 2007 Marc Prensky 1. Hiding

150. © 2007 Marc Prensky 2. Panic

151. TECHNOLOGY © 2007 Marc Prensky 3. Acceptance

152. TECH-NOLOGY © 2007 Marc Prensky 4. Comfort

153. 5. Power TECH- NOLOGY © 2007 Marc Prensky

154. © 2007 Marc Prensky Today’s kids know The power of technology…

155. © 2007 Marc Prensky Because they can make it do what they need

156. What’s different about the new technology is that it is programmable. – Alan Kay © 2007 Marc Prensky

157. © 2007 Marc Prensky PROGRAMMING Is making a machine do what YOU want

158. © 2007 Marc Prensky The kids know they are the ones who can program

159. © 2007 Marc Prensky

160. The kids know Programming is the Key Tool and Literacy of the 21st Century © 2007 Marc Prensky

161. © 2007 Marc Prensky What needs programming? Our communication The Web Cell phones Answering systems Interactive video Our jobs Problem solving Personal computers Business systems

162. © 2007 Marc Prensky What needs programming? Our schools Administration Sharing Instruction Our government Legislation Security Enforcement Communication

163. © 2007 Marc Prensky What needs programming? Our homes Thermostat Alarm Appliances Stereo DVD / Home theater Our cars Cabin Engine

164. © 2007 Marc Prensky What needs programming? Our Tools Blogs Wikis RSS My Space Games Multimedia Our recreation iPod / Tivo / Interactive TV Games Vehicles

165. © 2007 Marc Prensky What needs programming? Our Curriculum Math – Problem solving Science – Testing hypotheses Languages – Dictionaries / guides Social Studies – Simulations English – Research, analysis

166. Things Requiring Programming © 2007 Marc Prensky

167. What WE Don’t yet know © 2007 Marc Prensky

168. Is how to help our kids learn to PROGRAM In more and more sophisticated ways © 2007 Marc Prensky

169. What if we don’t? © 2007 Marc Prensky

170. © 2007 Marc Prensky (now hiring)

171. Thank You! © 2007 Marc Prensky

172. © 2007 Marc Prensky web sites: www.marcprensky.com www.socialimpactgames.com www.gamesparentsteachers.com www.games2train.com Continue the Dialog! [email_address]