Keynote:
Implications of Digital Generations for a Learning Society: New Technologies, Pedagogies, and Assessments
Speaker: Prof. Gerald Knezek, University of North Texas
Time: 14:30 – 15:30, 29 May 2015 (Friday)
Venue: Room 408A, 409A & 410, 4/F, Meng Wah Complex, The University of Hong Kong
citers2015.cite.hku.hk/keynote-knezek/
Prof. Gerald KNEZEK: Implications of Digital Generations for a Learning Society
1. Implications of Digital Generations for a
Learning Society:
New Technologies, Pedagogies &
Assessments
CITERS 2015
Emerging pedagogies and technologies
Gerald Knezek, University of North Texas, USA
Regents Professor of Learning Technologies
Hong Kong University
May 29, 2015
5. Brief Vita
1974: Bachelors Degree Dartmouth College (NH)
Mathematics & the Social Sciences
1976: Masters Univ. of Hawaii
Experimental Psychology, Learning Theories
1978: Ph.D. Educational Psychology Univ. of Hawaii
Educational Psychology, Pedagogy, Computational Psychometrics
Technology-infused pedagogical methods (Learning Sciences)
1993, 2006, 2011: Fulbright Appointments to Japan, Ecuador, the Netherlands
2000-2014: Regents Professor of Learning Technologies
Director, Institute for the Integration of Technology into Teaching & Learning
http://iittl.unt.edu
2005-14: International Handbook of Information Technology (Co-Editor), Co-
Chair, EduSummIT 2009, 11, 13
(Computer Science > CECS > Technology & Cognition > Learning
Technologies)
Recurring Theme: Teacher Preparation for Past 39 Years
6. Topics
Digital Generations
as a context for
Old and New Pedagogies
delivered through
New Technologies
with implications for
Assessments
7. Topics
Digital Generations
as a context for
Old and New Pedagogies
delivered through
New Technologies
with implications for
Assessments
to tell us if these initiatives are contributing to a
Learning Society
11. Mission of Educators
The purpose of education in every society is
two-fold:
a) Transmit skills
b) Transmit culture to the next generation
(Sakamoto, 1993)
12. Big Question?
Do the technologies we are choosing
and our children are using
hinder or help in achieving the goals
of:
- Transmitting skills
and
- Transmitting culture?
25. Curriculum
Students will have the motivating and
satisfying experience of taking their
concepts from mind’s eye to physical
form.
26. Pedagogical Practices:
Project-Based Learning
Digital Fabrication
MIT Fablab (Gershenfeld)
As of 2013, there were 125 fablabs in 34 countries
http://www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/
https://www.ted.com/talks/
neil_gershenfeld_on_fab_labs
http://fab.cba.mit.edu
27.
Classroom-Based Practices since 2009
Fab@School Preservice & Inservice Teacher Training
Univ. of Virginia
Curriculum,
Cornell Univ. (USA)
Physics & Engineering
Univ. of North Texas (USA)
Teacher Preparation
http://iittl.unt.edu/content/about-fablab-classroom
28. Now Univ –Wide Group (Library, Art, LTEC)
New NSF Award Final Negotiation May 2015
29. Digital Age Learners:
Two Generations (Plus Us)
Gen1 Millennials (Gen Y)
80 million born between 1980 and 1995
Now in their twenties & thirties
Gen2 Millennials (Gen Z) born 1996 – 2015 ?
Students of Millennials becoming teachers
These are the next generation learners
Primarily The Rest of Us (Gen X ’65 - ’79)
Baby Boomers (’45 - ‘64, Teachers of Teachers)
Howe, N. (2007). Millennials Shaping the Future
34. That may be changing worldwide
(UNESCO’s Jonghwi Park: Happiness Quotient)
35. The Case of Nan Chiau Primary School
Nan Chiau Primary
School in Singapore, is
part of the Qualcomm
Wireless Reach WE
Learn project.
Soloway (Univ. Michigan)
& Norris (UNT) Pis:
2009-2014
37. Students are Excited to Share and Learn
Lower tier students like school & retain belief in own creativity
38. Digital Age Learners G1 (Gen Y)
As the newest adults (Millennials)
Tend toward pre-diabetic & attention deficit
Obese (250% increase vs. Boomers)
ADHD (2-3 per class, 8x since 1990)
Are focused on self-gratification
Ironic given save the world beliefs
Do not have loyalty to job or career
Are a bit pampered
Economic prosperity, parents with strong work ethics
39. Digital Age Learners G1 (Gen Y)
Have never been without technology surrounding them
Are said to be good at it multi-tasking
But still cannot drive and text:
May 5, 2009 -- Driving while text messaging or fiddling
with an MP3 player is dangerous -- even more
hazardous than talking on a cell phone, a new study shows.
21 teens ages 16-18
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20090505/teens-all-thumbs-
when-texting-and-driving
40. For Digital Age Learners G1 (Gen Y)
‘Second Life’ is sometimes more reinforcing than the first
Active participation is natural
Passive learning is almost impossible
Looking beyond the ‘immediate next step’ is uncommon
Lifeline is assumed
41. Yet Digital Age Learners G1Are Built for
Collaborative Problem Based Learning
Millennials Share in
Common
Know they are Special
Had Sheltered Lives
Are Confident
Are Team-Oriented
Are Conventional (in thinking)
Are Pressured
Are Achieving
Millenials Rising: The Next Great Generation
Elements of Effective
Project:
Clear Purpose
Sufficient Time
Personally Meaningful
Complex
Including serendipitous
Connected /Interconnected
Sharable
Access to constructive materials
(Staeger 11/09)
42. Funded 2008 – 2013 $1.5M; 2013 - 2017 Scaleup $2M US
New Funding 2013 to Scale Up to more environments and
with increased focus on STEM Careers
Year One (Grades 6 – 8)
7 veteran classroom teachers in 3 states for treatment
Texas
Vermont
Louisiana
13 classrooms for comparison
Hawaii
Virginia
North Carolina
Louisiana
Texas
Year Two
Adding Maine, Florida, ???
Overview: Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to
Save theWorld
44. Study electricity and stand-by power
Inventory home plug-in appliances
Measure plug-in appliances at home with the
power monitoring devices
Share data with other project participants
Use data for ‘what if’ projections
Key Activities
46. Awareness of and Reduction of CO2 impact
Increase student interest of STEM career
options
Out of School activity coordinated in
School
Project Goals
60. Gain in Content Knowledge
More positive attitudes toward STEM
Enhanced interest in STEM careers
Productive Citizens
Working in a real world context
Outcomes
61. STEM Semantic Survey
Semantic Differential
7-point scale pairs (interesting – boring) 5
areas:
Science
Math
Engineering
Technology
STEM Career
Career Interest Inventory
13 item Likert (SD to SA), 3 subscales
Math items from TIMSS
Attitudes toward School, Creative Tendencies
Instrumentation for STEM Projects
65. Gain in Content Knowledge
Vampire Power Quiz
Electrical Safety Quiz
More positive attitudes toward STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
Semantic Differential & Likert Scales
Enhanced interest in STEM careers
Too many years to verify
Search for Interest Indicators
Measuring Outcomes
66. Content Measure: Standby Power Quiz (Meier,
Lawrence Berkeley Labs)
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/04/climate/st
andby-quiz-interactive.html
69. Demographic Items
Gender
Grade
Number of hours on the Internet
I plan to have a career in:
Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
Other
72. Gain in Content Knowledge?
Absolutely!
More positive attitudes toward STEM
Yes, especially for MS FEMALES
Enhanced interest in STEM careers
Finally in 2013-14
For MSOSW
81. What about Digital Age Learners G1
(Gen Y) as Teachers?
As soon-to-be new teachers:
Expect respect from their students in the classroom
Even though they do not expect to give the same to
their own teachers
As teachers will not be too different in maturity from
their students
Tyler-Wood, 12/09
82. Aggregate “U” is Clear
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
G4_5 G_6_7_8 HS G_12 Univ.Preserv. Eng.Majors STEM Prof.
Career
Technology
Engineering
Math
Science
83. Now a “W” Shape
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
G4_5 G_6_7_8 HS G_12 TAMS
G11_12
Univ.Preserv. Eng.Majors STEM Prof.
Science
Mathematics
Engineering
Technology
Career
85. Digital Generation Families
Traditional:
Parents are the first teachers of children
Millennial:
For the first time in history, children have
more knowledge than their parents (via the
Internet) and skill in how to get it.
Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. 15, October 6, 2000 to October
12 2000
99. Digital Age Learners G2
Were first Netbook Generation
2007: 1 M
2008: 14 M
2012: 12-14% of total Market
Are Now the Smartphone / Notepad Generation
Phone, Camera & GPS
Calculator & Web Browser
Voice and Text Messaging (+flashlight ;-)
Soloway & Norris; Staeger 2009
100. Digital Age Learners (G2) are:
Going to be a mini-baby boom?
Are often brilliant
PI = 3.14159265 … (six year old 11/09)
Come in extremes
Children of Gen X Yuppies
Children of broken homes
parents = one or none
104. Games and Simulations will Absolutely
Grow in Use
Since the early 1980s we knew they could be up to 9 times more
effective for learning
Now they are practical to build, deploy, and use
http://simschool.org
105. Big Data has Great Prospects for Good
and Some Prospects for Pearl
Big brother may be watching
Publishers
Companies
Governments
107. Some Unresolved Questions
How are G2 Millennials different from G1?
More broken homes?
Suffered more hardships?
Focused on job, not self?
Will G1 Millennials be better G2 teachers?
Digital Natives
Color Blind (to race)?
Tech Saavy
Able to relate?