Teaching Science,
Technology,
Engineering and Math
(STEM) to Today’s
Digital Natives
Edward M. Reeve, Ph.D
Utah State University
Interim Vice Provost for International Education
Professor, Department of Engineering & Technology
Education (ETE)
ed.reeve@usu.edu
Introduction
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According to the National Science Board's
report "Science and Engineering Indicators
2006," American students perform among the
lowest internationally in the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM).
Some observers say schools do not
adequately prepare students for careers in
these fields, resulting in a significant lack of
student interest.
What can STEM teachers do?
What can
STEM teachers do?
1.
2.
3.
Learn about the characteristics
of today’s Digital Natives.
Learn about the technology
used by today’s Digital Natives.
Develop curricula that engages
Digital Natives.
Introduction

Today’s students
are digital natives
– they have grown
up with digital
technology!

They are the
generation!
Introduction
Most of today’s
Digital Natives are
technologically
literate when it
comes to using
digital devices.
A two year old Digital Native can operate the TV
VCR remote control and a 7 year old knows how
to text message on a cell phone.
Introduction
Digital Natives
come to school
with their
backpacks, as well
as their own
laptops, cell
phones, digital
cameras, and
MP3 players.
Introduction
Today’s Digital Natives
Learn Differently
Each day Digital
Natives spend
6.2 hours using
electronic
media.
Introduction
Today’s STEM Instructors must
be prepared to teach this new
generation of learners.
Introduction
This purpose of this
presentation is to review:
1. Characteristics of this
generation.
2. Popular Technology & Web 2.0.
3. Suggestions on how to effectively
teach to this generation.
Characteristics
of Today’s
Digital
Natives
Today’s Digital Natives

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Like to Cut-andPaste.
Prefer Visual
Information over
Text.
Multitask all the
Time.
Today’s Digital Natives
Digital Natives are
those young people
who come to our
classroom with a
good understanding
of today’s digital
technologies.
Today’s Digital Natives
They are skilled at using mobile
phones, computers, the Internet,
gaming devices (e.g., X-box), and
other products
based on
digital technology.
Today’s Digital Natives
They are "on-demand,"
autonomous learners,
proactive in determining
what information they
need and seeking it
from the environment to
meet their own selfdetermined goals.
Today’s Digital Natives
They tend to
process
information at
twitch speed,
determining what
is or is not useful
in a matter of
seconds.
Today’s Digital Natives

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They relate to graphics
first instead of text.
They tend to learn
best through trial and
error.
They solves complex
problems best within
collaborative learning
groups and in relevant
settings.
Today’s Digital Natives
They are active
participants in their
learning; they "do"
first and ask
questions later.
Failure is a
necessary learning
experience.
Today’s Digital Natives
When they go home from school they may….
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log onto the high-speed network on their
laptop using a wireless connection
check iChat or AOL, talking online with their
friends
after Googling their research topic and
checking Wikipedia… write a research paper
spell-check the final paper, then pass it
through Turn It In before emailing it to their
teacher
then create a Powerpoint presentation to show
as a visual narrative in class the next day
download and share MP3 files, burn music CDs
(and possibly violate some copyright laws)
Today’s Digital Natives
When they go home from school they may….
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turn on their iPods to listen to books, lectures
or broadcasts they missed
get their daily news online or watch
entertainment sites
add songs and manage their playlists on
iTunes
watch cable TV or HBO
text their friends all evening using their cell
phones or Blackberries
pick up their digital camera, film their pet
doing funny things, use their Mac to edit the
footage and then put it up on YouTube
Today’s Digital Natives
When they go home from school they may….
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update their Facebook page, see
who has written on their wall
check favorite blogs or create a blog
themselves, using free internet hosting sites
actively research material on the web, in order
to write new blog posts
add images to their Flickr accounts
set up a Wiki for one of their classes so they
can all share the same facts and data
spend some time gaming… XBox, Wii,
Playstation
Today’s Digital Natives
They depend on
technology daily to
meet their needs.
They have developed
elaborate
communication
systems built around
this technology, which
connects them instantly
to any information they
may seek.
Digital
Natives
&
Web 2.0
Digital Natives
Web 2.0
Today’s Digital Natives
are connected, and
they are also connecting
to a new type of
Internet that uses new
technologies for
communicating and
sharing of information.
Digital Natives
Web 2.0
This new Internet has been referred to
by various terms including “Web 2.0”
and the “social web.”
Digital Natives
Web 2.0 - Characteristics

A Massively Connected
World: Most Web 2.0
applications require that a lot of
people are connected to the
Internet.

The Network Effect:
Software being designed to
harness the “collective
intelligence” of the Internet’s
many users.
Digital Natives
Web 2.0 - Characteristics

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Users as Co Creators:
Users become writers and
creators -- they become “owners”
and enhance the value of the
materials.
Decentralization: Users are
located all over the globe - when
they act together, the combined
force of their actions can have
tremendous effect and influence.
Digital Natives
Web 2.0 - Characteristics
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Openness: Nonproprietary
standards are making it easier
to share data, software, and
information.
Remixability: Software
developers assemble new
software by using bits and
pieces of other people’s work.
Digital Natives
Web 2.0 - Characteristics

Emergent: Web 2.0 software

Rich Experiences: Web sites
offers looser structures and relies
on its user, rather than its
designers.
are full of video, photos, and
vibrant visual environments.

The Web as a Platform:
Software that runs in a Web
Browser is no longer slow smoother and more reliable.
Digital
Natives
&
Technology
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Very Popular Technologies:
 YouTube
 ITunes
 Facebook/MySpace
 Skype
 On-line Gaming
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
The Computer!
That’s Delicious!
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies

Google: Google
the number one
search engine on
the planet with
many applications
What Comes After Google?
Check out Google for Educators!
www.google.com/educators
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Social Networking Sites: Social networking has
revolutionized the way young people communicate
and share information with one another in today's society.
How do you
share what you
read on-line?
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Mobile Phones: Mobile
phones have progressed
rapidly from simple calling
devices to portable handheld computers.

Today, it seems that young
people are always “texting”
instead of talking.
Do You Cha Cha?
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Blogs: Short for web log, a blog is
an on-line journal that can be
published instantly to an Internet
website.
Today, many young
people are using blogs
to share their views
and observations
about their world and
the world in general.
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Video and Photo Sharing Sites: Video and photo
sharing sites are important mediums used by many
young people today to share their “realistic” thoughts
through images.
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Wiki: Wikis are web
sties built though
collaboration. They
are a collection of web
pages designed to
enable anyone who
accesses it to contribute
or modify content, using
a simplified markup
language.
Digital Natives
Popular Technologies
Podcasting: Podcasting is
a mobile technology. It is
portable, either through
personal computers or
mobile devices (MP3 player,
handheld, cell phone, or laptop), and
provides just-in-time access
to information.
Don’t forget Twitter!
Do you need a Tweet?
Teaching
Digital
Natives
Digital Natives versus
Digital Immigrants
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Today’s students are Digital Natives - they have grown up
with digital technology.
Today’s teachers are Digital Immigrants - they have not
grown up with digital technology, but have acquired certain
skills and understanding of new technology through
necessity.
Digital Immigrants are attempting to
teach the Digital Natives with
methods that are no longer valid; the
only choice may be for educators to
change the way they teach.
(Prensky, 2001)
Digital Immigrant
Teachers
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Many “Digital Immigrant” teachers refuse to
change their ways of doing things – they
want the Digital Natives to come their ways
of doing things.
They speak with an accent.
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They do things like print out their email when the
Digital Native doesn’t even use email. That’s an
accent.
They get their news from the newspaper. Digital
Natives likes to get information from a variety of
sources. That’s an accent.
Teaching Digital Natives
Teacher Suggestion
STEM teachers must
learn about Digital
Natives and embrace
them and their
technology and try to
incorporate what they
learn into their
classrooms.
Challenge: A new way of thinking for schools!
Teaching Digital Natives
Teacher Suggestion
Ask the
Digital Natives
(students)
for help and ideas.
Teaching Digital Natives
Classroom Suggestions
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Use the cell phone
as a learning tool.
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Surveys
Find Answers & Text
Digital Cameras
Calculators
Offer Class Podcasts
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Record “key” discussions,
activities, etc.
Challenge: Cell phones not allowed in class!
Teaching Digital Natives
Classroom Suggestions
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Broadcast Videos:
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Discussions
Demonstrations
Student Projects
Challenge: YouTube not permitted in schools!
Teaching Digital Natives
Classroom Suggestions
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Set-up a classroom
Blog.
Develop a class
website.
Set-up a “social
network site.
Teaching Digital Natives
Classroom Suggestions
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Set up a photo
sharing site.
Develop a class
wiki site.
Use on-line
assessments.
Teaching Digital Natives
Teacher Suggestions
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Use the Internet as a
resource for teaching.
Use Instructional
Technology
Consider Gaming
Don’t forget about
Google and it’s many
classroom applications.
Teaching Digital Natives
Teacher Suggestions
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Learn everything you
can about
21st Century
technology skills.
Don’t settle for basic
personal proficiency become an expert.
Use the Internet.
Teaching Digital Natives
Challenges
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Digital Divide – Some do
not have the technology.
Technology Not Allowed
in the Classroom.
Ethics – Illegal and
inappropriate Uses.
Unprepared – Many
teachers are still unprepared
to use today's’ technology.
Teaching Digital Natives
Change How We Teach
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The manner in which students are
taught will not truly change until
the manner in which we teach and
evaluate students change.
Multiple studies suggest moving
students from consumers of
information to producers of
information. This, above all else is
the key to engaging digital learning.
Jackson, S. H. & Crawford, D. (2008)
Teaching Digital Natives
Change How We Teach
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Research shows that kids engage in the
curriculum more and participate to a
higher and deeper level when given
real world challenges that match
their abilities and interests to the
curriculum.
The data shows that students in even
our poorest under achieving schools do
well when technology is used to
hook into their learning style. It
makes school interesting and it connects
with their life.
Conclusion
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Today’s students are
different - they are
Digital Natives.

Many of today’s
instructors are from a
different generation –
they should prepare
themselves to teach
to today’s Digital
Natives.
Conclusion
Learning how to use
today’s “Digital
Native’s” technologies
and incorporating them
into the classroom may
help to improve teaching
and student learning.
THE END
Teaching Digital Natives
Teaching Today’s Digital
Natives
Helpful Resources
(Handout)
PAY
ATTENTION
http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/t4/content/view/221/35/
Resources
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Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants - By Marc Prensky (2001)
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Digital Immigrants Teaching the Net Generation - Much Ado About
Nothing? http://www.openeducation.net/2008/09/22/digitalimmigrants-teaching-the-net-generation-much-ado-about-nothing/
T4 - Jordan School District - Transforming Teaching Through
Technology (Pay Attention Video)
http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/t4/content/view/221/35/
Net Generation Nonsense - Mark Bullen Discusses Teaching and
Learning
http://www.openeducation.net/2008/09/23/net-generation-nonsensemark-bullen-discusses-teaching-and-learning/
Though Net Generation Concerns Over-hyped, Integrating Technology
the Right Step
http://www.openeducation.net/2008/09/26/though-net-generationconcerns-overhyped-integrating-technology-the-right-step/
Resources
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Digital Natives – Counterpoint Discussion
http://www.slideshare.net/Jesnik/digital-natives-counterpointpresentation
Young Minds, Fast Times: The Twenty-First-Century Digital Learner
How tech-obsessed iKids would improve our schools.
http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-digital-learner-technology-2008
Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are
Many
http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction
Wii Love Learning: Using Gaming Technology to Engage Students
http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-wii-gaming-technology-classroom
Measuring DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY for AMERICA’S CHILDREN: Where
We Stand and Where We Go From Here, Including the DIGITAL
OPPORTUNITY MEASURING STICK 2005
http://cjtc.ucsc.edu/docs/dd_highlights.pdf
Resources
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Digital Learners: How Are They Expanding the Horizon of Learning?
http://cnx.org/content/m17218/latest
STEM Education and Educational Technology Gateways and Resources
http://nsdl.org/collection/stem-education/
Defining ‘Generation Y’: towards a new typology of digital learners
http://www.elp.ac.uk/downloads/Defining%20Generation%20Y%20Bra
dford.pdf
21st Century Teaching and Learning, Part 1
http://www.thejournal.com/articles/22505
Meeting students where they learn can have a profound effect on
education
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/topnews/index.cfm?i=45668&CFID=2554910&CFTOKEN=11090669
Clickers, Pedagogy and Edtechtainment
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2008/06/20/groveman
Resources
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Creating the 21st-Century Classroom
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/creating-the-21st-centuryclassroom/
Engaging Digital Learners
http://campustechnology.com/articles/2007/05/engaging-digitallearners.aspx
Generation www.Y: Washington Middle School
http://www.edutopia.org/generation-www-y
ENGAGED HANDS - digital natives with a difference
http://blogs.adobe.com/educationleaders/2008/07/engaged_hands_dig
ital_natives_1.html
Digital Natives and Education
http://teachissues.blogspot.com/2007/02/digital-natve.html
Resources
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Pay Attention
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw
A Vision of K-12 Students Today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=related
Networked Student
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwM4ieFOotA&eurl=http://www.bo
ldleaps.net/
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants: Some Thoughts from the
Generation Gap
http://technologysource.org/article/digital_natives_digital_immigrants