In reading The App Generation and thinking mainly about my students (all ages 10-12), I kept coming back to the idea that each generation "pioneers" something and the pioneers are the ones that find out what works and what doesn't. We are pioneers of adding technology to what we grew up with - landlines, dial-up-internet. My students are pioneers of (they are the first generation to experience) to grow up totally online.
Today's adults did stupid stuff, but as someone in class mentioned this week, those embarrassing naked baby pictures and other proofs are hidden away in Mom's attic. My students don't know what it's like to not have control over photographs and videos of themselves because we don't really know what it's like to grow up like that. Sure, people have gotten in trouble for sending inappropriate snapchats or posting pictures on Facebook with alcohol. But I feel like a 10 year old doesn't quite grasp how big of a deal it is to portray yourself in a certain manner online.
One of my students needs a little extra guidance in life and often comes to eat lunch with me. The other day he asked me if I ever lie. I told him the truth, yes, but we had a good talk about the consequences. It had nothing to do with the internet, but it was a big reminder that my students need as much guidance as they can when it comes to doing the right thing. I think of them as "big kids" because they are the oldest in the school, but they haven't necessarily had enough experiences to understand the consequences of their actions.
This was a very rambly post and I hope it made sense. The main point is that apps are here, whether we like it or not, and it's our job as reasonable people to guide our students and remind them of how important their choices are.
I'm proud to be a part of the generation of early app pioneers. Think about it - people our age are the ones who created Facebook and Instagram, who built the Amazon empire and introduced apps like Snapchat and Tinder. Our generation changed the tech landscape forever, and I think that is really cool.
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool that you're mentoring that student. When I was teaching in Bitburg I had a tenth grader who'd eat lunch with me (that evolved into a whole group when my students decided they wanted to have a Doctor Who lunch club!). I think it's wonderful that you can provide a compass for that kid. Your conversation might not have been directly about the Internet, but good decision making is good decision making in any context. Hopefully that child will apply any lessons learned to the web world as well. Keep up the good work!
I agree with Zack that it's super cool that you're mentoring that student. I love it when teachers take a special interest in the ones who need it.
ReplyDeleteMy wife has 3 large photo albums from her college days, I think I have like three pictures total from college. I like to think it's a male - female thing but it probably says more about the difference between my wife and I... anyway I digress, the point being I never had to worry about being embarrassed by any silly photos being posted online for anyone and everyone to laugh at, comment on, etc... mainly because we were dudes and rarely had a camera with us but it just wasn't our culture - we did dumb stuff and had a good laugh at it and that was it - occasionally we'll have a good laugh at things now when we get together but there was never a time when we had to worry about someone judging us from a picture taken someplace, of something that they were never a part of in the first place. No one ever commented or gave their opinion on whether or not what we were doing in a picture was right or wrong. So much of this instant sharing gives people a platform to share their 2 cents (judging) on a millisecond in time of an event that they were never a part of in the first place. But it's the culture now, and certainly we have avenues to give our opinions on things that matter and causes that do need our 2 cents given on - I just don't like the mob-mentality uproars that occur over something some kid will post to get a laugh from his friends and then real world harsh consequences follow. My dumb college-kid self would've never survived in this instant point my finger at you culture.
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