The document discusses the characteristics and learning habits of today's "Net Generation" students ages 8-18. It notes that these students spend much of their free time engaged with digital media and online activities like social networking, gaming, and creating content. It advocates for educators to incorporate more collaborative, creative, and technology-enabled learning approaches into the classroom to better prepare students for the future. These include having students create videos and podcasts, work together on online projects, and publish their work digitally.

1. You might know what they are called…

5. The Net Generation

7. How much do you really know about a 21st Century learner?

9. They are ages 8-18

11. They text

13. Skype and IM

15. And blog

17. Use wikis

19. Surf the net

21. Play video games

23. 8-10 year olds spend almost 8 hours a day consuming media.

25. Most of that 8 hours is outside of the classroom

26. The amount of time children and teens spend on the computer has tripled over the last 10 years (1 hour and 29 minutes)

28. 38 minutes is devoted to reading a book

30. 73% of all Colorado High School seniors will graduate.

32. Nationally, 1.3 million students leave high school without a diploma.

34. By the year 2016, the largest English speaking country will be China.

36. We need to prepare students for THEIR future not OURpast. --Ian Jukes, educator and Futurist.

38. “Due to rapidly changing dynamics facing the 21st Century, new skills, regardless of what they are called will be needed for every man, woman and child to address the economic, social, political and citizenship challenges that await them… Business success will demand a workforce whose skills adapt to the needs of the future.” --SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) Report, 1992

41. "Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century." -- Perelman

42. So how do we prepare them for the future?

44. Let them create

46. 5th Graders created videos to help solve math story problems, illustrate their personal narrative writing, and present projects.

49. Let them collaborate

51. Students created an online wiki about the Loyalists vs. the Patriots going to war to gain American independence. The debate continued on our classroom blog.

53. Let them communicate

56. They made podcasts with Voicethread to present a research or group project and to share their stories.

58. Teachers need to stop saying, “Hand it in,” and start saying “Publish It.” --Alan November

59. Social-based learning

60. Students want to leverage emerging communications and collaboration.

62. Un-tethered learning

63. Students envision technology-enabled learning experiences that transcend the classroom walls and are not limited by resource constraints

66. Digitally-rich learning

67. Students see the use of relevancy-based digital tools, content and resources as a key to driving learning productivity

69. Digital Media enables us to build more stages for our kids to express themselves. -- Marco Torres

70. We need to replicate in the classroom the world in which students are living.

74. Technology can’t replace the teacher

76. We have to move from know what learning to know where learning.

82. Are your students ready for their future?

83. References Alliance for Excellent Education. (2009). Understanding High School Graduation Rates in Colorado. Retrieved from http://www.all4ed.org/files/Colorado_wc.pdf Baker, Frank W. (2010). Media Use Statistics. Media Literacy Clearinghouse. Retrieved from http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm Healy, Melissa. (May 2010). Teenage social media butterflies may not be such a bad idea. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/18/science/la-sci-socially-connected-kids-20100518 Nesbitt, B. (November 2001). A Vision of K-12 Students Today. [YouTube Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8 Rideout, Victoria J., Ulla G. Foehr, and Donald F. Roberts. (January 2010). Generation M2. Kaiser Family Foundation Study. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/8010.pdf Speak Up 2009. (March 2010). Creating Our Future. Retrieved from http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU09NationalFindingsStudents&Parents.pdf Speak Up 2009. (May 2010). Unleashing the Future. Retrieved from http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU09UnleashingTheFuture.pdf