Rewiring Ministry for the
Digital Learner
Matthew Guevara
KidsWorld GroupLife Director

from blusd.org

Rewiring Ministry for the
Digital Learner
This is not an argument, it is a diretional conversation

Characteristics of
digital learners

Characteristics of
digital learners
• No longer little versions of us

Characteristics of
digital learners

Characteristics of
digital learners
• Digital natives (not digital immigrants)

Characteristics of
digital learners
• Not little • Collaborators
versions of us
• Digital natives
(not digital
immigrants)

Characteristics of
digital learners
• Not little • Collaborators
versions of us
• Teachers
• Digital natives
(not digital
immigrants)

Characteristics of
digital learners
• Not little • Collaborators
versions of us
• Teachers
• Digital natives
• Connected
(not digital
immigrants)

Wired Kids

Wired Kids
• communication via IM • collecting via
downloading
• sharing via blogs
• searching via Google
• buying/selling via eBay
• reporting via camera
• exchanging via Check phones
Mii Out and P2P tech
• programming via
• creating via Flash modding
• socializingorvia
• meeting via Webkinz myspace Facebook
or piratesonline

Characteristics of
digital learners

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us
Not little

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us
Not little
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us
Not little
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•Connected
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•Connected
•natives (not •Relational
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Critical Distinction
How does media affect relationships?
Does media enhance, replace, reflect
relationships? Media is relationship.

Characteristics of
digital learners

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us
Not little

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us
Not little
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us
Not little
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•Connected
•natives (not
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•Connected
•natives (not •Relational
Digital
digital
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Characteristics of
digital learners
•versions of us •Teachers
Not little
•Connected
•natives (not •Relational
Digital
digital
•Open
immigrants)
•Collaborators

Video Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g
Michael Wesch - The Machine is Us/ing Us (final version)

What is the process of
digital renewal?
what needs to be rewired?

Curriculum...
Adopt a thinking
curriculum
Strong emphasis on skills
and engages affective side
of the brain

Media Paradigm...

Relationships...

Questions?

Large Group Strategies

Address Digital Learners
• •
Multiple Processing
media BEFORE
sources text
(wordle.net)

Address Digital Learners
•Link the •Feedback
world
•Relevance
•Network

Learn from a video game
“Video games are 3D landscapes and soundscapes. They
require complex muscular movements and the answers are
almost never provided and there are multiple threads to
constantly consider. Games are often played in community,
a global network of like-minded, diverse gamers. The
instruction manuals to many of these games are useless
because the gamer is required to test the limits of the system.
Gamers are always asking, “What’s happening right now?”
What if children’s ministry became like a video game?

Use new resources

Use new resources

Use new resources

Small Group Strategies

Prayer is simply the primary reason why
we do small groups with children. As a
church, prayer is one of our key themes.
Teaching kids to pray is something we do
every week.
Prayer

Relationships
Create an environment
Think about community
management
Relationships/community must
be hosted

Variation
Mix it up
Do something different
Vary the routine as applicable in
your context
Participate in the community
you’re trying to build

Home Strategies

Web Presence
anchorchildrensministry.blogspot.com
fjif.blogspot.com

Provide Real Resources
Is the take home paper working
for you?
Everyone is thinking about this
Few answers have surfaced
At Christ Community, we tried
Bible reading schedules

Create social networks

Questions?
mguevara@ccclife.org
twitter.com/mattguevara
kidsworldccc.org
orycenter.org (kidtech blog)