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Keys to reaching the digital generation

Abstract:

Have you ever been astounded by the actions of your kids? What could possibly make them do what they do? They seem to be from another planet! They certainly aren’t like us. They live in an entirely different environment from the one we experienced growing up. They are immersed in a digital world that provides them instant access to information that is highly visual, interactive, and bombards them with information from multiple sources simultaneously.

This is an unfamiliar world for most teachers - the emergence of the high powered digital tools kids use today happened so quickly that most older people missed the digital experience when they were growing up. And that is why we have such a hard time understanding much of what kids today take for granted. But there is another more significant aspect to this new digital experience that teachers need to understand. Brain research is showing us that the modern digital world has had a profound impact on how the brains of young people process information. The research confirms that kids today use different parts of their brains than their older non-digital parents and teachers. This presents educators with a great challenge. It is critical that we grasp what the research is telling us about how our students’ brains work if we hope to keep our instruction effective.

This presentation examines the new digital landscape and the profound implications that it holds for the future of learning. What does the latest research tell us about how the Instant Messenger Generation's brains are being re-wired? How will the new digital landscape affect the what, where, when and how of learning? What will it mean to be educated in the modern, changed world. And how can we reconcile these new developments to current instructional practices in the Age of Standards, Accountability and High Stakes Testing? Prepare to have your assumptions about children and how they learn severely challenged. Co-developed with Ian Jukes.

Presentation type...	keynote or breakout session
Audience................	all
Duration.................	1 to 3 hours
Handouts................	no

Mr. McCain will gladly tailor any presentation to your specific needs.