The document discusses how today's students have grown up with technology and short attention spans, thinking work and school should be entertaining. It argues that the current educational system, based on Enlightenment philosophies, is mismatched for the Information Age where students must learn to sort and think critically about vast amounts of information to become lifelong learners. It suggests educational reforms should integrate tools like games, simulations and social networking that are already used in workplaces.

1. Changing Educational Paradigms
(The Theory)
In this presentation, we'll talk about:

How today's kids are different than they
were a decade or two ago.

Changing roles of education.

2. But first...
Here are some important things to keep in
mind:

Today's generation has grown up with
technology.

It's not bad, it's not wrong, it's different.

3. How Are Kids Different?
They are constantly surrounded by media.

4. How Are Kids Different?
Their attention spans are shorter.

5. How Are Kids Different?
They think things like work and school
should be entertaining by nature.

6. How Are Kids Different?
Part of their “self” is now contained online.

7. How Are Kids Different?
“Our newest generation – currently in K-12 – is
demonstrating for us the impact of having developed
under the digital wave. These youth have been
completely normalized by digital technologies—it is a
fully integrated aspect of their lives. Many students
in this group are using new media and technologies
to create new things in new ways, learn new things in
new ways, and communicate in new ways with new
people—behaviors that have become hardwired in
their ways of thinking and operating in the world.
Children are establishing a relationship to
knowledge gathering which is alien to their
parents and teachers.”

8. So, What's the Problem?
We are using Enlightenment era
philosophies of education in the Age of
Information.

9. So, What's the Problem?

The Enlightenment was a revolution in
education...

...but this is how they viewed education:

10. So, What's the Problem?

But we're living in the Information Age...

...and there's a LOT more information to
deal with:
bucket

11. Therefore...

Our educational system should:
− Help students SORT information.
− Help students THINK CRITICALLY.
− Create LIFE-LONG LEARNERS.
− Not force students to memorize
USELESS KNOWLEDGE.

12. Things to Think About:

“Games, simulations, and social
networking are already permeating the
workplace as productivity and
development tools – we may be doing
our students a large disservice by not
integrating these tools into their
education.”

Don't use technology for technology's
sake.