This document discusses how today's students are different from those of the past. It notes that over 50% of the world's population is under 25, but less than 25% of teachers are in that age group. Today's students have spent thousands of hours interacting with digital technologies and media, shaping how they approach life and learning. They are used to fast-paced, nonlinear, and visually-oriented experiences. To effectively teach this generation, educators must find ways to engage students and make learning feel interactive and fun, like playing video games.

1. Teaching Today’s Students
with thanks to Marc Prensky, MICCA
presenter, April 2005
© 2005 Marc Prensky

2. Giving Our Students
What They Need
To Succeed!
© 2005 Marc Prensky

3. Question 1
What percent of the
world’s population is
under 25?
A 25% D 40%
B 30% E 45%
C 35% F 50%
© 2005 Marc Prensky

4. % Under 25?
50%
© 2005 Marc Prensky

5. Question 2
What percentage of
our teachers
are under 25?
© 2005 Marc Prensky

6. Why we have problems:
Today’s younger learners
are NOT the ones our
systems (and teachers)
were designed and trained
to teach!
© 2003 Marc Prensky

7. Today’s Students are
different
© 2005 Marc Prensky

8. Why?
• 10,000 hours Video Games
• 250,000 emails
• 10,000 hours on cell phones
• 20,000 hours TV (incl. MTV)
• 500,000 commercials
• < 5,000 hours book reading
© 2005 Marc Prensky

9. • 2 billion ring tones per year
• 2 billion songs per month
• 3 billion text messages per day
© 2005 Marc Prensky

10. “Students 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
© 2005 Marc Prensky

11. Conventional Speed
Step-by-Step
Linear Processing
Text First
Work-Oriented
Stand-Alone

12. The e-Life
Communicating Coordinating Searching
email, IM, chat Projects, workgroups, Info, connections,
MMORPGs people
Sharing Analyzing
Blogs, webcams Evaluating
Reputation systems– SETI, drug molecules
Buying & Selling Epinions, Amazon,
Slashdot Reporting
ebay, papers
Moblogs, photos
Exchanging Gaming
music, movies, humor
Solo, 1-on-1, small &
large groups
Programming
Open systems, mods
Creating Learning
search
sites, avatars, mods About stuff that
interests them Socializing
Meeting Learning social
3D chat rooms, dating Evolving behavior, influence
Peripheral, emergent
Collecting behaviors Growing Up
Exploring,
mp3, video, sensor data
transgressing
© 2005 Marc Prensky

13. When I was a kid
IT WAS BORING
© 2005 Marc Prensky

14. In my youth, this book was famous:
Where did you go?
“OUT”
What did you do?
“NOTHING”

15. Today’s kids
GO ONLINE
© 2005 Marc Prensky

16. “I could have nothing
to do and I can always
find something on the
Internet.”
– A High School Student

17. “On the Internet you can
play games, you can check
your mail, you can talk to
your friends, you can buy
things, and you can look up
things that you really like.”
– A High School Student Yahoo
Born
to be
Wired
Conference
© 2004 Marc Prensky

18. Today’s kids
UNDERSTAND
ENGAGEMENT
© 2005 Marc Prensky

19. Learning feels like play
when you have
ENGAGEMENT
=
Motivation, passion
© 2005 Marc Prensky

20. Kids want to
Feel engaged
all the time
© 2005 Marc Prensky

21. Especially
In School!
© 2005 Marc Prensky