Okay. So, I am not really all that old. I'm only 27. But when I was in high school, texting had yet to take hold. I even graduated college just as Facebook exploded onto the scene. As I stand before a class full of students, I find myself in a constant battle against text messages. I may feel addicted to internet connection, but modern students are umbilically linked to social media. Teenagers spend hours online with Facebook or XBox games. Some kids rack up $1000s in cell phone charges as they send and receive 100s of texts a a day. No more "Check Yes or No" notes in homeroom, they just post it on somebody's wall.
The New York Times wrote a piece on the topic this weekend. They also posted this video about teachers battling for student attention in the classroom at Woodside High School in New York.
Modern teachers must take advantage of these new technologies to engage students. Many teachers use Facebook, Twitter, Wiki Pages, Chat Rooms, Blogs, Google Docs, etc. We can find benefits and consequences to the surge of technology in student lives. Information becomes immediately accessible, while steady stimulation prevents mental synthesis of ideas.
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