Well, Justin is very much similar to a Singaporean student. IT savvy, can't live without computer, handphones, iPod, etc.
Digital Natives are risk takers and are not afraid to fail. They are actively invovled and demand constant engagement. They are also egocentric, strives to be independent and need a feel a sense of entitlement.
I'm a digital immigrant and soon to be a teacher of digital natives. Do we teachers need to change our teaching strategy to meet the needs of the digital natives? Yes, i think so. A BIG change? Perhaps not.
Student-centered learning will allow digital natives to be in charge of their learning process. I also talked about them wanting constant engagement. Is this entirely different from our digital immigrant generation? Perhaps not.
Some might say lectures are for the digital immigrant generation and game base learning is for the way to go for the digital natives. Are lectures no longer relevant? Do current outstanding teacher award holders not hold any lectures?
Don't get me wrong, i'm not against game base learning, in fact i think it's interesting. Game based learning is engaging, but we can get engagement too through lectures.
This physics teacher engaged her students through her interactive style of teaching. Perhaps both digital natives and immigrants don't speak an entirely different language. We just need to provide them with a platform for interactive learning. This will get them actively invovled, give them a sense of entitlement and allow them to take risk (in a form of discussions, not afraid of voicing their opinion). All of which are characteristics of digital natives i mentioned at the start of this post.
The physics lecturer's teaching method has traits of game-based learning albeit there are no rewards and penalties like in games. There is constant feedback from polls whether they are doing well, collaboration between students which is seen in many multi-player games and teaching concepts where the students can apply later which mirrors learning a skill from the first stage and using it in fighting the boss later.
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