Perhaps I should be embarrassed to admit I scored 11 on the Millennial quiz. but, I'm not. I had my 16 year old daughter take it too and she scored a 73, which although significantly higher than my score, was based on only slight differences in our responses: she has a Facebook page, I don't have any social media presence (unless this blog counts...) she described herself as liberal, rather than moderate, and she cared slightly about a high paying career; I had to confess I don't because I am a teacher. Other than that, our responses were identical. Something tells me that being 16 gave her extra points as well. Either way, the fact that I lined up with people born between 1928 and 1948 does not bother me too much.
As for any implications for my teaching success or my students' learning, I think they are limited. I teach first grade, which is made up of students who have very little control over their own access to technology and limited ability to use it independently. Of course, they are adept at using many platforms and applications, but they can't read all that well and in most cases are under the supervision of parents who believe it sensible to limit "screen time." Middle and high school teachers certainly don't have that luxury and can probably up their credibility by being a bit more "millennial."
As for the individual questions, I assume my biggest downfall was the one on social networking. One reason I don't embrace social networking is because I am a teacher. I am in my second year of teaching and it is a tremendously time consuming job. Getting my masters degree consumes significant hours as well. I also have 4 kids. I really don't have time to spend on something idle like Facebook. In addition to that, I greatly value my privacy, and I know that the first thing parents do is go to Google when they find out who their child's teacher is. I like to keep as low a profile as possible.
My reaction to Frand's 10 characteristics was mixed.
Number 1 - Computers Aren't Technology I have no control over this one. I can remember using a computer for the first time. It was a Commodore 64 and we played Lemonade Stand quite a bit. None of my friends had one, we were quite the cutting edge family. When I went to college no one had their own laptop and I only used the computer lab if I was required. I had a Brother word processor for typing. :) So, computers are technology to me.
Number 2 - Internet Better Than TV: I have one foot in the door here. I generally Tivo (technology to me!) or DVR (same) shows to watch, but lately have discovered a couple that I can only view on Netflix. I love it. I like that I can watch what I want when I want. Great concept. In fact, I was unreasonably annoyed when I finished the first season of Longmire and the second was not available anywhere. Frankly, I still am annoyed. What's the hold up? (see characteristic 9 Zero Tolerance for Delays)
Number 3 - Reality No Longer Real: This I can agree with as well. In fact, confession time, I have taken advantage of this myself. I created a gmail with a fictitious name in order to question some team decisions without exposing my child to blow-back. Remarkably easy and effective. What is not always easy is when you are trying to get facts, as Frand points out, the internet is chock full of information, but it is difficult to tell how much is true and who is writing what. This last election cycle it was particularly challenging to sift the facts from the falsities and I found myself in numerous discussions where the participants were working with wildly divergent versions of "reality."
Number 4 - Doing Rather Than Knowing: I think that the shrinking half life of information may be less pronounced in education than in other fields. Part of that has to do with funding, schools just can't keep up with the infrastructure that is required in order to embrace life at the "speed of technology." Also, that little kernel of doubt that we all have about whether new indeed is better is a bit more pronounced in early years where we are working with young children. There is a certain degree of push-back on screen time to allow for outdoor play, investigation, creativity, hands on work, and the like. So, when Frand talks about events occurring in real time, with immediate effects and short reaction times, I feel as though schools are in a time warp.
Number 5 - Nintendo Over Logic: I am a logic person. I feel that I will probably break things if I don't read the directions. When working online I have a strong fear that I will hit the wrong button and lose everything. It drives my husband nuts. So, I am not quite up there with those daring millennial here.
Number 6 - Multitasking Way of Life - Not something I can claim to be capable of either. I turn the TV off if I am on the phone. I don't like music on if I am thinking. One reason that I am successful as a first grade teacher is that I am unable to ignore anything. My students behavior never escalates to chaos because I rarely ignore the little flare, I put it out and get it back on task way before it become a flame. I am just happier with limited distractions. If I do start multi-tasking, I resemble an ADHD sufferer far more than a successful millennial.
Number 7 - Typing Rather Than Handwriting -I find typing to be easier, more correctable, better for re-organizing. I did hand-write notes while reading Frand's article because I can't type on one screen and read on another. (I am sure it is possible...) But, I still have that lingering feeling that a handwritten thank you is more appropriate than an email. I also have my students practice handwriting, but that is partly due to the fact that I need to read it. We have 4 computers for 24 first graders, no ipads or tablets, so we write.
Number 8 - Staying Connected: I think this is one of the most dangerous aspects of this new age we are in. Everyone wants to be connected all the time because it reinforces their feelings of importance to others. After all, if you can post that you went for a 5 mile run at 6 am, it implies that other people care that you did. If people care, you feel better about yourself. I worry about the impact of all these kids growing up thinking that everyone cares about what they ate, where they are, what they are doing, what they are wearing. What if nobody cares? Does it make the run less worthwhile? I think connectivity shifts the way people think about themselves and their lives. Having a platform to display yourself on is intoxicating, but as we all know: intoxication is only safe in moderation. That being said, I only have a cell phone and email and I get frustrated when I can't get a hold of my kids, husband or friends immediately. I ask myself what is the point of having a cell phone if you are not going to keep it by your side so I can reach you. See, even without a Facebook account I have somehow bought in to the idea that my needs are very important.
Number 9 - Zero Tolerance For Delays: As I have already confessed, I have embraced this for better or for worse. Improvements spoil us and we quickly forget how things used to be. How they usually are is how how we want to be all the time. When the internet goes out, even if I am not using it, I know because one of my kids erupts from wherever they are. Companies that don't have web pages or online ordering vex me. 7 -10 business days seems ridiculous after a year or more of Amazon Prime. And having to wait to watch Sherlock when it already premiered in England seems absurd. Like everyone else on Netflix, I want to know why season 2 of Longmire is not available NOW.
Number 10 - Consumer/Creator Blurring: I don't have a lot of experience with this, and maybe it is the graduate student talking, but frankly I can't understand how Frand touched on it so casually. Perhaps when Frand wrote this in 2000, it was new and different than it is now, easy to get away with, tough to catch.. Today I think students of all kinds are drilled about plagiarism and the extra care they need to take to avoid it. I even had one professor at SU insist we send all our writing to him through Turn it In so that he could ensure that we had created the work ourselves.
I think that my sad little score of 11 on the Millennial Quiz aside, I have embraced many recent developments in technology and I am uncertain that those I have snubbed would make me a better teacher. I truly believe there is such as thing as "too accessible" for someone who is working with children and social networking is the one aspect of technology that I have made a choice to avoid. The rest of the things I avoid I avoid due to fear. I fear them because they are new and will take time for me to learn. I don't have a lot of time, but when someone gives me a good reason to embrace something new (like it is a requirement for a class) I am able to force myself to push my fear aside and give it a try. Like I said in my initial post, I fully expect to have a much more impressive blog by the end of this class. Why? Because I won't have a choice if I expect to do well in the class. :)
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