Blog #3 – Your reaction to video, “A Vision of Students Today”
The Groves staff watched this video back at the end of August as one of the introductory discussion topics / food for thought to get us going for the upcoming school year. It is made by a professor at Kansas State University named Michael Wesch who studies cultural anthropology.
The premise of the video is: “what is it like being a student today?” Dr. Wesch gets his students to answer the question in a myriad of different ways – some of their responses apply to you and some of them don’t (not being in a college / university environment with huge classrooms).
Questions to answer:
1. What kind of picture does this video paint of today’s students (yes, college students, but one day soon, you will be one of them)?
2. Do you think this video presents an accurate picture? Why or why not?
3. What do you think are the top three things that a teacher could learn from this video? Why do you choose these three topics?
250 words – due Friday October 15
A link to Dr. Wesch’s talk about the anthropological origins of You Tube.
1.) This video paints a picture that, to me, is mostly true. Students don’t want to learn about information that doesn’t affect them or interest them in any way. Sure it shows colleges as a financially draining, impersonal and boring but for the bigger colleges and universities it’s a reality. If students don’t want that kind of higher education then go to a smaller college.
2.) Michael Wesch’s youtube video is completely accurate. Technology is something that almost everybody has, loves and uses on a daily basis. So going into a class with a chalkboard or a whiteboard isn’t interesting at all. This, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that technology should be incorporated into our curriculum. However, students would probably be more motivated and interested if we used technology in a way in which we actually learn something.
3.) Three things that teachers should learn from this is that a) technology, more precisely: the videogames, facebook, twitter and other things similar to those will always be a lot more interesting than listening to a boring speech or taking notes. It’s not your fault though. b) The vast majority of students really only go to school to make a lot of money in their future careers. They don’t really care about their classes and the ones they choose to take are because they are blow off classes or because it mildly interests them. c) There are only two ways to really get students to pay attention. First, involve them in discussions and don’t just lecture. Second, incorporate technology; combining the two would provide for a conducive learning environment.
1. I believe that the kind of picture the video paints of today’s students is one of technology and socialization becoming more important than learning and school. It depicts this image that students have become so overwhelmed by technology and their busy schedules that traditional education is no longer applicable to their lifestyles. It shows that students are so preoccupied with what happens to them as individuals, broad knowledge and learning techniques, as simple as reading a book, have become useless in their minds. To me, this video shows that dedication to learning has faltered and the age of technology has taken over to such an extent that something as vital as a college seems pointless to many students.
2. I am torn on whether or not I believe this video represents an accurate picture of education today. There is no question that the majority of the points it presented are true, at least to some, but whether or not the message it was trying to convey is necessarily correct is another story entirely. I don’t agree that the education system is the issue; I think it’s the students. We live in a society where we’re told about how individual achievement reigns supreme over almost anything else. Although this isn’t a necessarily bad thing, pushing many towards success and higher learning, it also presents a serious problem. It causes many, especially students, to want more and more information on topics they believe will suit their particular interests and goals. It creates this idea that knowledge pertaining to any topic other than that in which the individual receives personal gains is useless and unimportant. Rather than changing the education system, I believe that students need to open their eyes and realize that school isn’t going to entertain them like a party or something online; school is here to teach us about all different aspects of life, not just small portions that are meant for a single individual.
3. I think it’s important that a teacher realizes that turning education into some form of amusement for their students isn’t the solution to the problem being presented in this video. It’s important that teachers TEACH and not try to transform learning institutions into some type of attraction for students.
1. This video shows that many students, particularly college students, are more involved in technology than in school. The students said they spent more time on their laptops, watching TV, or listening to music than reading textbooks or attending classes. They are spending more on laptops and computers than textbooks, writing more emails than college papers. Students are too wrapped up in technology, which often leads them to multitasking, which doesn’t get schoolwork done correctly or efficiently. In this video, students seem only interested in photos, videos, and social networking.
2. This video definitely portrays an accurate picture because I know, due to my own habits, that students spend more time on the computer than doing schoolwork. There was one student who said she only reads 49 percent of the reading assigned and this definitely true at Groves High School. Students are doing more things than the amount of hours in the day. For example right now I am multi taking by watching the Red Wings and writing this blog.
3. The first thing teachers can learn from this video is incorporating technology in the classroom to keep students more attentive to the lesson and the teacher. The second thing teachers should learn is that technology isn’t always the answer for assignments. This video shows that facebook is a huge part of the lives of students and if they are on the computer doing homework they are more tempted to go on the facebook. The third thing teacher can learn from this is posting homework on common social networking cites like facebook or twitter. One of the most common excuses students use for not doing their homework is I forgot about it, but if the assignment appeared on the websites they use all the time, the more likely there are to remember to do it.
Michael H.
1. I believe this paints a negative picture of today’s college students. The video portrays the students as seemingly helpless victims against technology’s strong influence. It suggests that students would rather, as well as are unable to resist, spending many hours a day using technology such as IPods, Facebook, and Internet blogs. The beginning of the video also suggests that the traditional methods of teaching are no longer helpful in preparing students for “the real world” and other experiences that they could now encounter in a vastly shrunken and technology-dominated global network.
2. I do not think this video presents a very accurate picture of the interaction between students and technology. I believe there are two scenarios in which students use technology- 1) through their own choice and in replacement of doing given tangible homework (ex. Reading a book or taking hand-written notes) and 2) a teacher assigning only electronic homework. I think it is unreasonable for viewers of the video to deduct that students have no choice but to utilize the internet because assigned book readings or other traditional methods of teaching do not prepare them for “real life.” Such “ancient” methods might not involve current issues or even modern technology, but participating in these methods can still teach students SKILLS, such as reading, writing, analytical skills, and individual thinking.
3.
1.Technology is taking over society whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, so it is counter-productive and a waste of time to fight it
2. There is such a thing as too much technology
3. If students insist on believing technology is the only way they will learn and pay attention, add the lesson to the Internet or present the lesson using technology
-The bottom line is that making sure students actually learn the material is vastly more important than the way in which they learn it. If students are only confident in technology, it is time to begin to blend technology and traditional teaching methods.
1. The video paints a picture of many students being too distracted or involved with non-educational technology. It is apparent that each student has different interests, priorities, habits, and behavior regarding school. Many students pay little attention to school and more attention to distractions that may or may not be related to technology. Some students spend all day on facebook or twitter or watching television, while others spend more time studying. Some students fail to prioritize effectively.
2. The video certainly points out truths about many college students, but seems to disregard the many students that are able to moderate their use of technology and still perform well in school and see it as a positive experience. Many of the statements show that technology has the ability to distract students, but who is to say that these students would not be distracted without technology at their fingertips? I believe that even without technology, plenty of other distractions exist that a person can prioritize over education.
3. I believe a teacher could learn from this video that
1. Technology has positive and negative effects.
2. Some students have a tendency to abuse technology, while others can benefit from it.
3. Many students see education cynically.
I selected these three topics because they illustrate how subjective the effect of technology can be on students, and that teachers should moderate the use of technology but also attempt to become more involved with students. Technology should not be completely separated from education, nor should it be too heavily relied upon.
1. This video portrays today’s students as technologically advanced or even to some extent technology addicted. I found it extremely interesting when there was a comparison between books read to Facebook pages read, and also of pages written for class to E-mails written. This clearly demonstrates that modern students are more comfortable using technology then older, more traditional, methods if only because they use it more.
2. I think this video is very accurate and relates a lot to my life. For some reason I can never find time to read a good book but always make at least a couple hours to chat with friends on Facebook. Also, I am an incredibly slow writer but quite a fast at typing so naturally I am more comfortable with a keyboard.
3. I think the top three things a teacher could learn from this video is as follows:
1. Try to incorporate technology in learning as students are much more comfortable with it then they are with textbooks or other traditional methods.
2. Be aware that some students will abuse the technology, which could actually take away from their education.
3. Also something important would be to realize how stressed and busy a teens life is and that its impossible to always get everything done.
Pingback: Extra Credit Blog on Education | Groves H.S. Advanced Placement U.S. History
1. I believe this video does a very good job portraying the college student, and yes us the future college students. It seemed to show that the students are overly wrapped up in technology. They send more emails,spend more time listining tom music, and more facebook then studying. Doing this thens seems to stress the students out, and even take away from their sleep. As shown by the girl with the sign saying “Multitask” it seems that students are forced to multitask due to their own bad habits and not by the teachers. Also the student with the labtop saying i dont always work seems to be extremely self destructive. So in a sense the students are hurting themselves.
2. I do believe that this is very accurate. For starters to be completely honest i do some of what is stated in the video. I do spend to much time on facebook, and other online things, and yes it has on some instances been self destructive to myself.
3. There are three very important thing teacher should learn from this. 1- People may blame stress on teachers but it self induced so teachers should not beat themselves up and feel bad. 2- Teachers have to go out of their way to make lessons enjoyable, so they can keep kids away from the distractions, and keep them from hurting themselves. 3- Mostly we should learn that technology is could, but to much can hurt you more than it can help you.
I think that this video is showing that students don’t care a whole lot about school. Even though they are paying money for the class and the supplies, they don’t pay attention, or use those supplies. The video is trying to paint a picture in our mind of students relying entirely on technology and showing that it is all they care about. When it is time for today’s students to confront the world’s problems, they won’t know what to do because we didn’t learn anything enough.
I think that the picture painted by this video is moderately accurate. The video portrays all students as helpless, lazy, and inadequate, which I would say is a portrayal that is mostly false. While this may describe how technology affects some students, the video is not an accurate description of all students. I also don’t think that all students only read 49% of the reading assigned to them. I do realize though that the generalizations portrayed by the video are true for some of the students today, and I agree that it is a problem.
I think that teachers should learn from this video that catching students’ attention is the most important thing to do. Whether it’s using technology or just not doing every lesson on the chalkboard, teachers should realize that they need to catching our attention, whatever way may work. I think that a major lesson from the video that might be over looked is teachers getting to know their students. The one girl held up the sign that said “18% of my teachers know my name.” I think that this is an extremely important lesson for teachers, how can you teach somebody you don’t know? A third thing would be from the very beginning of the video, which asks if the information is on the blackboard, why are the students sitting in chairs observing? I think that maybe not even using technology, but just getting students actively involved in a lesson is really important.
The picture painted of students is scarily accurate. The video shows that students are absorbed by the technology that surrounds them and are well aware of how much time they spend on computers and their cell phones. I can relate directly to these students and there knowledge of what is important. I resent wasting hours learning about irrelevant knowledge like “sentence structuring” or realism views on taxes. There is no disagreement that a lot is expected from students and electronics are as much a distraction as they are an aid, however the social networking sites rarely aid today’s teens.
I think this video accurately portrays SOME students. For every kid lolling away the hours checking his or her email there is another student hard at work. I admit I wish I had the self-control to focus more on school and not on what my friends write on their wall. but I know I fare better then some peers of mine (who shall go unnamed) replace homework for electronics and reruns of their favorite television shows. It will be a sad, dark day when Snooki holds more of the youth’s attention then books.
The top three things teachers and educators could learn from this video would be as followed 1. Make an honest effort to convince me that what you are teaching is worth my time and attention. This sounds harsh and self-centered but the truth is students will pay less attention to something they cannot see mattering in the future. 2. Three words: Hands on activities. A student will learn more in a wax museum of historical figures then listening to a lecture on historical figures. And 3. Be enthusiastic about what you teach. Nuff said
1. I believe this video paints a picture of one individual boring school. These students just look unhappy, and i would be too if my classroom was in that condition. Also, these students say they spend most of their time obsessed with facebook and social life. It’s sure that they are sad and unable to do homework if they read 1281 facebook profiles and send 500 emails a year. With that they say they spend 1 and a half hours watching t.v. every day, spend 3 and a half hours online every day, and spend 2 hours calling people every day. No wonder they can’t get anything done!
2. I believe this picture is very inaccurate because we only see the opinions of a select few out of 115 students out of the entire NATION. I can tell they don’t like what they are doing, but school is not meant to be fun. It’s a big decision for that reason. The points i consider valid are the fees and debts that most students get caught up in. It is true that studying hard and making money is incredibly difficult, but the rest of the points they make in the video are not valid.
3. The top three things that a teacher could learn from this video is making classes fun with a BALANCED use of technology, making kids focus by not allowing electronic devices,and making classrooms more appealing. Having a fun way to teach has to be balanced because no fun is not interesting, but too much fun makes you learn nothing. Of course the kids have trouble with homework, because they can’t pay attention with their computers and MP3’s. Finally, i understand that these kids are depressed by their classroom surroundings. Gray walls and cracked paint, dusty chalkboards and pale chairs make you want to leave. I believe that more vibrant and colorful classrooms (BALANCED once again) help students feel happier about being there.
The last point i would like to make is that their desire to be there was not considered. That is the most important part of the college experience, and blaming it on large classrooms and homework is a very ignorant approach.
ALEXANDRE ROCHAIX
1. The video portrays students as people who are going through college but not even spending half of their time working on school related things. The students feel like they are going through college just because they are supposed to and that everything they are “learning” or supposed to be learning won’t help them get a job. They think that going through college won’t help them get a job because most of the jobs they will end up having don’t exist yet.
2. Yes, I think the video represents an accurate picture. High school students pretty much feel the same about getting into or going to college as college students feel about getting and working a job. You do everything you are supposed to do so you can achieve something, college or a job, but you don’t feel that it does anything to actually help you once you have achieved your goal.
3. I would say that teachers could learn more of their student’s names and that class size could be smaller but that is unrealistic. Making class sizes smaller could possibly help make students more interested in learning or even just more hands on learning that would be useful when they get a job. Also making learning more about what will make you successful and testing those skills not just scantrons. Paying for school, paying for textbooks, and then not showing up for classes and not evening opening the books. What is the point of that; college is supposed to prepare you but if you don’t even try then there is no point. Teachers should make coming to classes fun or useful so that people who pay will actually show up. Teachers should also realize that students don’t spend most of their time on school work; they are on the internet, listening to music, e-mailing, texting, watching TV. Students spend hours doing other things and not class work so integrating technology will get more participation.
1. I think this video paints a picture that the majority of students’ lives are taken away with technology. Technology has now interfered with students’ learning behavioral pattern and I feel now that an education has been second picked and blocked by the world of technology around us. The old fashion way of teaching is not as sufficient years and years ago that it is today.
2. Besides the fact that not every single student is heavily involved in technology as shown in the video, I believe it displays a pretty good general idea of the students who are drastically becoming more involved on updating their status and retweeting people that don’t focus enough on their education. Now again although this video only paints a picture of few students and not every single student in the world, I do feel that there are some students amongst of who have allowed technology to basically take over their lives.
3. The top three things that I think teachers can learn from this video is that we are in “new age” and technology has believe or not become something that is evolving into our lives and whether we like it or not it is something that needs to be shifted in are careers as students. Make things more ands on. This might be just for me, but I enjoy things where I can learn and still need to know things to learn, but at the same time teach me the things I can truly in general benefit from such as team work and communication and listening skills. Also I would like to see more effort from teachers, if I feel like you don’t care then I really don’t either, I find it very intriguing when a teacher is passionate about teaching and really take seriously what they do and not there to come do their job and get a pay check. I would take you seriously and whatever the subject… (again personal opinion)Third, thing is if you are a teacher and you do decide to be more tecnologicalish in the classroom know that it’s a privilege for students and to not allow students to overuse the advantage that they have.
1. This video portrays students as victims of a learning program that doesn’t benefit anyone in the future. It says that todays students spend most of their lives using technology rather than learning or doing homework. It shows students as having many distractions like cellphones, computers, TV’s and jobs. This video makes me believe that American students have no interest in education because they think that getting into a college is the way for them to get a good job, and the work in college means nothing.
2. This video doesn’t portray students accurately. I cannot speak for college students, but for high school students, I know that we have self control and even if the temptations are there infront of our eyes we know that education needs to come first. I don’t spend 2 hours on my phone, I do read my textbooks, and just because there are a large majority of students who slack off in class doesn’t mean the entire system of education is poor. What really got me mad was that a student said that 18% of teachers dont know my name, and whose fault is that? Taking control of your life is not something that teachers have to do. They provide the knowledge, students need to utilize them.
3. a) Students react to technology more than textbooks. Utilizing the things that are constantly in our hands or infront of our eyes can make learning easier and more convient.
b) Apparently a large number of students at Kansas State University are terrible students and have no self control.
c) This video should not be taken seriously. Just because a small number of students are slackers doesn’t mean we all are. Just because a few Middle Eastern people are involved in terrorist acts doesn’t mean all of the Middle East is out to get America.
1. This video shows the way college students participate in school today. They are so wrapped up in technology that they have a hard time focusing in school. Technology impacts each student by distracting him or her from reading or writing papers. The students are getting sidetracked as social networking websites are directing their attention away from the professor and towards the computer. Most of the students who go to class are more likely to go on their laptops or phones than open their textbooks. The video is showing a negative side to students and technology today. The students feel that what they are learning in college won’t help them later in life. They aren’t giving school their full attention because they feel that what they are learning is irrelevant and spending time on social networking websites is more interesting.
2. Yes, I think this video presents an accurate picture of not only college students but students from middle school and high school also. I can certainly relate to the students in this video, as I know how it feels to get distracted by hours on facebook and not want to complete the reading that was assigned for homework. I know that it will penalize me later because I will fall behind in school, just like the students in the video.
3. The three things a teacher could learn from this video are: 1. They should do whatever they can to make classes interesting so that the students want to learn. They can use creative ways to communicate the information to the students so that the students are interested in class instead of their phones or computers. 2. I think teachers should make an effort to get to know their students better so that they can motivate each individual to be the best student they can be. 3. Teachers should show the students how passionate they are towards teaching because the students will see how devoted the teacher is to their job and they will have the desire to become an expert in that subject just like the teacher is.
1. This video paints a picture in my head of college students who are busy for the entire day but get little done. They are learning little from big classes and their relationships with professors are literally nonexistent. They agree that scantrons will help them little when they have to deal with real life issues. These students can’t make enough money to afford college but also spend too much time studying to fill in bubbles. In retrospect this view of college students shows the possibility of better-rounded students if class workloads decreased and less time was spent on the computer.
2. I think that this portrayal of students is relatively accurate. College students do often struggle to make ends meet financially, they also spend an unfortunately large chunk of their time in front of screens. An inaccurate part of the video in my opinion is widespread class-size problems. Those students most likely made the decision to attend a larger school. A counter-example would be my cousin Nathan. One of his classes at Pitzer in California has only twelve students. Students should choose their schools wisely, and while stress is doled out in large portions, avoiding screen time will save students time.
3. Top three things a teacher should take away from this video:
• Focus on learning, not test-scores (students need to be prepared for real-life dilemmas, not Scantrons)
• Get to know your students (this video makes it clear that students seek personal relationships with professors)
• Ask yourself before giving out homework: Will my students learn from this or is it busywork? (Students have a cramped schedule: leave time for fun too.)
Extra Credit Blog
Braxton Allred
4/10/11
1. I think that this video makes it seem like college kids have an extremely crappy life and how stressful it is. I mean, who would want to be $20,000 in debt and buy things like textbooks that they might not ever use? I feel really bad for the kids because when they showed all the activities that they do and how much time they spend on them, the total time was over how much daylight they have to complete their tasks. And some of the activities like working and sleeping could have some more time added in because of their importance. This video also makes it seems like college kids are lazy because a few of the kids talked about how in class they go on Facebook or other sites instead of paying attention. But can you really blame them? I mean, if I was surrounded by 120 people, with a laptop, and was being taught by a teacher that doesn’t even know my name, I would also be less inclined to pay attention and take notes which would help me succeed
2. I believe that this video probably is pretty accurate because I know for a fact that many colleges are very crowded and how large the classes could be. Not only that, but in my opinion the video pretty accurately described a possible schedule of a student and its ridiculousness. Sadly, a lot of kids probably have it even worse than the students in the video and if I don’t know how I or most people could handle that.
3. I think a teacher could learn that it’s really important to involve students with what they’re teaching by asking them questions to not bore them to death. To go along with this the teacher could show videos, draw diagrams or do anything out of the ordinary (in teaching), to get and retain the students attention because at the end of the day what they learn is what matters and by not doing their job correctly, a teacher could affect many lives in the process and honestly, a boring lecture wont help the teacher complete that task. Also I think that it may be important for a student to be involved in a smaller class (even though it not the teachers choice). This allows the students and teacher to be more comfortable with each other students can ask questions more comfortably and so the teacher can have less pressure trying to teach 100+ kids. Lastly I think a teacher could learn to consider the outside life people have. The point of growing up isn’t to do homework and study all the time, it’s for experimentation and the development in talents, social activities and other things that are also VITAL for society. Life would be meaningless if all we do is add and subtract or get ready for the next test or meeting. It should be about the experience that someone has in life and school isn’t the only part of it. We obviously do need an education to be successful, but it shouldn’t drown out everything else in life like it likes to do.
1. This video painted the image of the stressed out lifestyle that students like me and other kids at Groves have to go through on a daily basis. This video showed all of the distractions that are around us and how difficult it is for us to deal with them. A simple distraction like bringing your laptop to class could be costly in getting the job that you want in the future.
2. I think that this video does paint an accurate picture. There are so many distractions and so much pressure that is put on us teens every day that it is crazy. I know that my teachers and parents say that I can get the eight hours of sleep that I need AND get all my homework done AND go to football or baseball practice but its really not that simple. I need free time daily or I just can’t take it anymore.
3. I think that the main thing teachers need to learn from this video is to be more lenient with late work. Teachers really have no idea how much their students have going on the night they assign homework and sometimes it is impossible for the students to get their work done. Teaches should also learn to develop more interesting teaching methods. With more interesting teaching methods, the students will learn more in class and not have to spend as much time doing homework. Teachers should also get to know their students better and know whats happening in their lives so they know what assignments to assign and what to not assign.
1. This is a pretty scary picture that’s painted truthfully. It shows how uninvolved college students are with their own lives. I personally believe it shows how lazy the students of this generation are. Half of them aren’t even paying attention in class, so what’s the point of going? If they took out all the idiots who sat on Facebook while they were supposed to be taking notes from the classes, I’m sure the class size would shrink rapidly. It’s all about priorities, or lack thereof. Clearly the students of today have they’re priorities all screwed up, and the only person they have to blame for being unable to keep up with classes and work is themselves. Maybe if they didn’t spend millions of hours of their lives on cell phones and computers, we would actually be labeled as a smart-ish generation, instead of a stupid one!
2. I think that this video is pretty accurate. Just looking around me now, people are glued to their cells and iPods like they’re the only thing stopping them from breathing! I think our dependency on technology has kind of ruined us. If they cut out the Facebook and the phone calls at inappropriate times, college kids would probably be better rested and more focused during class. Though the class size is unfortunate, it’s also inevitable. If you don’t want a big class size, go to a smaller college or a commuter school. Just because the class size is big, doesn’t mean you can’t get to know your teacher on a more personal level. If you introduce yourself, show up for class, actually listen to the lecture and engage in relevant conversation, the teacher will definitely notice and learn your name.
3. The top three things that a teacher can learn from this video are:
A. makes the lecture interesting- students will probably be more inclined to listen to you if your lecture is relevant to them in some way. Instead of talking AT students, challenge them to think about solving problems.
b. Try to learn the student’s names- i know teachers have lots of students come through their classrooms every day, but it would still be nice to make an effort to get to know the students who are serious about their education and not fooling around on Facebook and whatever.
C. i think it’s important that teachers remember that they are there to teach and not to make every student happy. Half the kids in the class are probably not paying attention to you anyway, and you’re getting paid either way. It’s their future, not yours; so really, the student has to get serious if they want to succeed. It’s not up to the teacher to hold their hand through it all.
1. I think this paints a picture of a student who feels overwhelmed by life. Not only do they have the pressure of graduating college, they also have to have a job, worry about finding a new job upon graduation, and they have to deal with other, worldwide problems. Also, they feel that much of the information they learn in class is not relevant to their life, and because of this, they are bored.
2. I think this is an accurate picture because, in many ways, I feel the same way. I feel that much of the stuff I learn in school is not relevant in any way to what I want to do in life.
3. The top three things a teacher could learn from this video:
– Make it interesting: it’s very probable that what is being taught in class is dreadfully boring to the students. Keeping things interesting would make the boring material more bearable.
– Visuals = better: A chalkboard/whiteboard is just words. Words that nobody really enjoys looking at. A video screen or powerpoint would be better because there are colors, words, pictures, and sometimes interactive material.
– Smaller classes: Although its mostly not the teacher’s fault, larger classes make students less likely to participate or ask questions in class.
1. This video shows how busy and overwhelmed college students are. No one was smiling, just seriously showing what they go through. Their day totaled 26.5 hours, and it’s a well known fact that a day has only 24 hours. That only included 7 hours of sleep, and you’re supposed to get at least 8. One difference between high school and college is that in college, the video said an average of 3 hours of class per day. We spend about 8, and a lot of us still have the same schedule other than that, bringing the total to 31.5 hour days. The video also illustrates that kids are way too busy and not using class time to the fullest. Large class sizes and the teacher not even knowing the students doesn’t help. Kids are spending too much time trying to avoid work, probably because they are plagued with it.
2. I do think this creates an accurate picture because I can relate to it. Though the video was of college students and I’m only in high school, I have a lot of the same feelings. The day is way too short and there’s too much to do. A lot of times I try and procrastinate because I just start to dread the work because there’s so much and it seems like the same thing every week. Especially showing how the time works out, 24 hours just isn’t enough. So many people feel this way and multi-tasking has become the only way to survive.
3. What teachers can learn
1. I think a teacher can learn that outside of school, we need a break and don’t want to leave school to come home and work on more school.
2. Teachers can learn that we don’t get as much sleep as we really should, because there’s not enough time in the day to do everything that needs to be done. Though going on the internet and watching tv don’t HAVE to be done, there needs to be a break somewhere to keep students from going completely insane.
3. Most students hate large class sizes, because they feel like they don’t get personal help. Smaller classes have always been my favorite because I feel like more things get done, students can learn better, and teachers can teach better.
1. The video paints that students all getting far too spoiled. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on college, while as the video says 1/7 of the people in the world make $1 a day. They’ve gotten it easy their entire lives but because they got this opportunity so easily they blow off all the studying that their parents paid for, and complain about being sent to college. They want to stay ignorant to everything in this world and follow one path that they’re not allowed to change because they were on facebook while the classes that allowed other options were taking place. I’m sure their point was a bit different but thats what I got from it.
2. I really hope that this isn’t today’s youth, but it might be. Most people I know complain about learning subjects that they won’t ever use, so I can see it being the students of today (brain pushups). It’s really not that big a deal to study until one, two in the morning,(you shouldn’t have to if you don’t spend 3.5 hours on facebook while you have a lot of work to do) people will always complain for the sake of complaining. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but I just deal with it. I think that the technology has sort of ruined us, we spend way too long on pointless computer things and just forget about the rest of the world.
3) 1. The first is to do interactive teaching, not show pointless videos that we all sleep through, or show powerpoints on the computer and have us forcibly copy down notes we’ll never look at again. In order to teach correctly we should have some sort of experience that we can look back on,
2. Good teaching always works,as technology changes good teachers stay good. They don’t need to stick with the modern techniques to have the students learn, look at McMullan.
3. Something a teacher could do is be sure to avoid chalkboards whenever possible
The video was pretty pointless, but thats just my opinion
1. The kind of picture that this video paints of today’s students is that even though technology has advanced so much, people are still rushing through each day without really digesting what they are doing. Even if a student is in class, it doesn’t always mean they are really learning something. It’s easy to goof off if someone brings a laptop to work on, and with all the other things students do with their free time or even required stuff it’s hard to really think about stuff they learned that day, making it easier to forget about what that was.
2. I do think this video presents an accurate picture, because it displays the average student’s life perfectly. We are always on the internet or listening to music or on our phones or studying. Juggling all these things is difficult and it pretty much makes a list of goals that consists of getting one thing done and moving right on to the next without looking back.
3. The top three things that a teacher could learn from this video could be to be more interactive with their students, provide help sessions with smaller numbers of people, and rely less on technology and more on the good old fashioned handwritten notes. If teachers work more with their students, then students are more likely to respond better with the teacher. I’ve had teachers in the past that don’t really care what my name is or who I am and it makes it difficult to sit in class. This also brings up smaller help sessions. If teachers provided even just two hours a week to work with a group of 20 students that would make it a lot easier to concentrate. That’s still a fairly large class, but it is smaller than a class of 30 students or 100. It would also be nice if teachers wrote more on the bored instead of just putting stuff up on the computer for students to take notes from. I concentrate less when I am copying from a computer screen or projector then if the teacher is actually up moving and writing. I choose these topics, because I think they will help students learn better and make school for teachers and students a better place to be.
1.This video portrays the grim of today’s student. The college students at this university are feeling as though they are being stretched entirely too thin. They are having to live up to expectations that are too high even for a college student, and are trying to survive in overcrowded classrooms with professors who have to manage over 115 students in one class.
2.I agree with this feeling because in my AP U.S history class last trimester there were about 30 plus people in the class, which is a lot for a High School. In the class there were students who craved more attention and took away the majority of the learning time. We were then expected to go home and read multiple pages of a textbook a night. Which is an extreme struggle for me because I would read the passages about 3 or 4 times because it was hard for me to fully comprehend the material, and then I would have hours of other homework on top of that.
3. I think teachers could learn that classrooms are too large, students are being overworked, and are feeling a disconnect from their teachers. I choose these three things because in my eyes they are the most important and relate the most to my life. In the video the students who sat in the back were so far from the chalkboard at the front that the words were virtually impossible to read. If the universities put in monitors that displayed contents on the board or on a powerpoint to the back of the classroom than the student would be able to stay focused and learn more efficiently. Also if the teachers were to give students less of a work load, or a work load that was understandable and manageable for a college student the grades would raise. Students also feel as though they do not have a relationship with their teachers with is extremely detrimental because they are paralyzed and uncomfortable with asking questions or for clarification.
1. The video paints the picture that all college students are struggling financially, being able to want to be in class and /or having problems focusing in class. The sheets of paper show all different types of struggles. It shows how kids want to learn, but they can’t because they have so much to do, or they don’t really care because they don’t want to try hard. Everyone has struggles, and they show that with those distractions and the horrible work load at school it’s hard to keep up and the only alternative is to just give up.
2. Personally, I don’t think this video is so accurate. Yeah, college is so expensive, but if you really knew that you would work harder and not get distracted and pay attention in class. You can’t take it for granitite; you shouldn’t blame technology on you not being able to handle school. Most sheets of paper said that they spend time on the computer, but that’s their problem, not the teachers or any one else’s’. The work load at school is tough, and strenuous, and some kids have to pay their way, but the kids that go on facebook for 3 hours a day are only hurting themselves.
3. The three things that I think teachers should take from this is adapting to different types of students, making classes more interactive and maybe checking in on homework. Every kid learns differently and the teachers don’t realize that you can just expect them all to do the exact same thing, like for instance you can’t expect every kid to go on a website during class when you ask them too. When you have a big class, it’s very hard to appeal to everyone and get everyone moving. If the class is too boring, then you will have barley any class participation and learning the material. Maybe, you can do things every now and then to get the class knowing what’s going on and making sure that everyone knows what you’re teaching. In high school, teachers may or may not check in homework. I personally think it’s the best idea because everyone will do it, and everyone will understand the material, so no one does flunk out of school.
This video paints a picture of students, weighed down by hundred dollar textbooks they may never use, on a collision course with debt and unemployment; it depicts a generation wired to the net and through the net, wired to one another. These are kids who can access more information then could ever be held in a library from the phones in their pockets. They have the technology and they known how to use it. Technology is more of a second language to them then Spanish, French or Japanese. It shows that the style of yesteryear’s rigid educational systems is as primitive as cave drawings to us. This is not made up and it is not speculation, this is the rock solid evidence of an air tight case. We know this is accurate, we know because instead of scratching our chins, speculating and pontificating to each other “hmmm… maybe there is a better way to do this, this isn’t working.” We have the students telling us. If you see someone fall off their bike and cut their leg, and they don’t say “that hurts” you don’t wonder if weather or not it hurts, we have them telling us. This is information is collected from a large pool of students, who were asked simply what they thought, and independent of any outside influence plainly showed that the system obsolete. Here is what teachers can learn. The internet is one big discussion, there’s so much opinion and word of mouth information that it’s hard to know fact from fiction. So make the class room like this, give us the facts, but lets us interrupt and discuss, amongst ourselves, where we can see all sides of the story, unlike in a book where it usually has a lot of fact but is hardly neutral. Second the use of technology, and let us do what will with it. Don’t say “ok we’re gonna do a power point” because there is almost definitely something out there, better. Let us take it and run and utilize the technology in a way that lets us put our own spin on it, in a way that lets us really use the full extent of technological nativism. Teacher need to take that leap of faith into the great unknown of the technological tomorrow, right now we are hearing that the system doesn’t work and that we need to change, but talk is cheap, its time to get this whole thing off the ground! we can talk about change till we’re blue in the face but not much is changing. I think that the schools of America think technology is a great idea but are still clinging for dear life to their old ways. Teachers need to start, independent of the district and school board incorporating technology, because once we start others will pick up on it. This is gonna grow up from a grass roots level, its not going to trickle down from the people at the time, if we wait for them it will take another century, we have to give them no choice but to adapt, then things will get better.
1. This video gives the idea that the modern American student is using electronics all day long, whether it’s in the form of a laptop being used during class for social networking, an Ipod being listened to at home or a television set. It gives the idea that the modern American student has little or no financial resources, and will probably be in serious debt by the time they graduate college. It paints the image that the modern American student is lazy, completing a pitiful percentage of the work assigned by the teacher, and he/she is also inattentive, often using technology to surf the net during lessons.
2. I think that the image that this video creates is incorrect because it assumes that all American students are the same in their lack of attentiveness in class and their lack of work ethic, which is an image of the American student that is in stark contrast to the one portrayed in the documentary film “Race to Nowhere”, where the American student is portrayed as an overworked victim of the system. I think that a significant number of students today are like the ones portrayed in this video, but I also think that far more students pay attention and work hard at their studies.
3. I did not think that this video would be exceptionally useful to teachers, as it seems to put the blame on the teachers for the portrayed students’ lack of attention and failure to complete assignments, where I think that this has more to do with these students and their refusal to work hard. The one lesson I could find in this that I think would be useful to teachers was that technology is a tool that could stand to be used in the classroom more often, but I think that even this lesson should be taken with a grain of salt, because I think that technology used frivolously in the classroom for the sake of using technology can become extremely counterproductive.
1. I think that this video points out some off the problems with the educational system and how it is affecting the student. The student seems to be bored out of their mind and not very dedicated to learning. I understand that people say that school is suppose to be fun and enjoyable but I believe that while people have been trying to make school more fun and less stressful they are losing some of he hard work and dedication that people need to compete in the global workforce today. This video shows me that Students are stressed, and overwhelmed but if you spend 2 hours on the phone and 1 hour on facebook everyday how well are you managing your time. School is a place for learning not for having fun.
2. I believe that this video tells a partial story and is very one sided. It goes on about how students have to do all of these things like studying and actual work but I know so people ho are happy to be able to go to college. I’m not saying that the people in this video were ungrateful for being able to be in college but I believe that there is a growing number of people especially adults who are going back to college to et better jobs because this economy is in turmoil and they cannot secure a job and they believe that getting to the next level in education will ensure their prosperity in the future.
3. I think that teachers can learn a lot about the problems that students are going through. This could change the amount of class work and homework that teachers give, because a lot of teachers give out busy work that is not necessary. They could also learn about what problems students are having with the educational system. The waste of resources is a big one from me. It would upset me if my partner were paying for a class they don’t attend (even though I’m not paying for it). Also the fact that a lot of student buy books and never use them. Lastly I think teachers could learn about what their students are actually doing in their class. This could cause teachers to test more on the material that they talk about in lectures and it would cause them to at least try to engage the students doing their classes.
1.I think this video paints a very bored student body and show that students work hard but slack off if that makes any sense at all. It also shows that students are tired of studying things they don’t care about and want education that is relative to today.
2. This could be accurate for some, and not others. For some, the current system works great. Other students want a different type of education as described in the video. For the most part it seemed to capture the feeling of being in a classroom and different students with different work habits.
3. Teachers should get a few important things out of this video. First of all, students should get more choices. Sometimes in the middle of geometry class, I’ll wonder why in the world I would care about finding the sin or whatever of a triangle. Maybe this is a useful class for architects, but to me a triangle has less meaning than Donald Trump running for president (well maybe a little more, but you get my point). Teachers/curriculum builders should let students experiment more and follow more of their interests so they actually will be interested. This is proven to be effective by one of the most successful companies in the world, Google. They give their engineers time to spend on personal projects and all of the best are attracted to it. Second, teachers should make classes more engaging. Even the mere act of standing up to stretch or writing something on the board makes a big difference. Lectures are somewhat mind numbing and teachers should try to mix it up with things like rolepalying or using goofy analogies to explain a topic. Third, from the video teachers can assume that technology=good. Although with the education crisis going on, buying holographic Promethean boards for every class mighty by a tiny bit of a problem. I think teachers should utilize the technology we have, such as computers and all of the programs they can do. Typed essays don’t count. That concludes my thoughts on the video.
1.) This video paint a picture of today’s students as people who aren’t trying hard enough in school based on how much they use technology. It also portrays them as almost drowning, they have all of this stuff they need and want to do each day but they can’t fit it all in unless their multi tasking. Their always going. Nowhere on those sheets of paper about what they did during their day did it say down time. Their showed as busy technology obsessed workers who aren’t spending enough time on studying and in real human social interaction.
2.) I think this video represents a somewhat accurate picture. It shows that people are obsessed with technology (which they are) but I think people are working hard in school. With technology such a big part of people live, you need to be able to use and use it frequently. Social networks like Facebook allow you to connect with your friends when your schedule is as busy as it is (as I talked about before, the multi tasking)
3.) I think teachers should learn from this video that they should teach topics within their subjects that actually can be useful and or relate to their students lives. This would cause students to have an actual interest in it and help them in the real world. I also think that teachers should see that student’s lives are so busy they may not always have time to read the 20 pages of reading you assigned, especially if you’re not going to be testing on it and that they should cut students some slack when they don’t read. Finally I believe that technology is a good way to relate and educate their students through. They use it so much already it would make classes more interesting.