We’re in 2023, the oldest of my student are now from well into the XXIe century. It is crazy to think of it that way, but they are born so far into the internet age that I can tell you that they can barely conceive of a world before internet connexions and computers. Heck I can barely conceive of it myself and i’m the age of their parents pretty much now. They are the so called Digital Generation …
It’s true that they all seem to have grown up with an iPhone in one hand and a tablet in another hand, laptops strewn on every lap at home, and their classrooms and labs (like mine) with a computer for every student.
But for all that, the longer I work with these kids the more I’m convinced about their digital illiteracy. I dont want to sound disparaging or insulting… but my goodness … there are times when I wonder at times, what the world must look like through their eyes.
Here are some examples of what I mean, which are at the same time funny, and sad and aggravating (as a teacher faced with it) :
Case study I : Turning on the computer
Yea…you wouldn’t think this would be something that’d cause a problem. Yes, well you would be WRONG!
Loopy : alright everyone turn on your computers.
Thirty seconds pass and at least four hands go up in the air
student : Sir my computer isnt working. it’s not turning on
student 2 : yea my computer’s not working either.
Loopy (already slightly frustrated) : What? what are you talking about? I was just using it before class to test the program.
student 3 : No seriously it’s not working sir!
I head over to see where the problem is.
Loopy : Alright, show me where the problem is.
Student pushes the button on the monitor and then proudly turns to me, vindicated, as the screen remains dark. I look back at him, somewhat speechless … a very rare event.
Loopy : That is the monitor! you turned on the monitor, not the computer.
Student stares back at me, eyes blinking empty of all comprehension, as if i’d just started talking to him persian.
Loopy (trying to remain calm and understanding) : No, dear student, what you did there was turn on the monitor and not the computer. They are two different things. Your turned on the monitor but if the computer is off then there is nothing to see, which is why the screen is black.
Student stares back with a blank stare, as if saying silently ‘but i pushed the button’.
I point at the power button on the PC, and invite him to push it. He does, and the screen lights up, much like the fact of the student who seemed to have just witnessed a miracle.
I smile at him, while doing my best not let my eyes and ear bleed from the pressure i’m putting on myself to not pop a vein at the experience i’m having. I pat him on the back and turn to address the other hands up in the air.
Going over to the other student.
Loopy : So what seems to be the problem here?
Student 2 : the computer isn’t turning on.
Loopy : Really ? It was working the last hour …
Student proceeds to press the on/off button on the monitor and when nothign happens turns to me “see!!”
Case study II : The “sun” button
As the students are working on the computers – having finally managed to overcome the unforeseen hurdle of actually managing to turn them on – I try and circulate through the lab, watch what they’re doing, and try and give hints to help them get along without actually giving them the answers. Frustration abounds, given the inexperience these kids have with any form of programming, or computer use in science (yes i know, a sad state of affairs, but that’s a story for another time).
I spot one student who is looking particularly frustrated, huffing and puffing and humming and hawing in front of his computer pushing buttons on the monitor and not getting anywhere. I take a deep breath preparing myself for what new devilry may be at work, and head over.
Loopy : dear student, what seems to the problem.
Student : Its very difficult to work liek this sir.
Loopy : yes i know we haven’t really done too much Python before, but if you follow the instructions, you’ll start to get the hang of it.
Student : No, it’s not that. I’m not even there yet, but the monitor … it’s missing something.
Loopy : The .. uh…monitor?
I inspect the monitor, sure it’s a bit basic, but everything seems to be there for the work i’ve asked them to do .
Loopy : I dont understand.
Student (frustration growing) : The Sun button is missing!!
Loopy : the … what?
Student (clearly frustrated, as much with me as with the computer missing ‘the sun button’) : It’s too bright! I need the “sun button” or I can’t work, but there is no “sun button” on this thing. I can’t work like this sir!
Case Study III : Can’t compile my program !
There are a few who have some ease with programming, very few and far between, as most have almost never done any in middle school, and what programming they’ve done has been some basic block-based programming stuff like Scratch. And so a lot of the programming we’re doing for now, is basically copying a bit of code that’s given and then they either have to fill out missing parts or modify some basic parameter to see how it changes the outcome. But already, it takes a fair bit of time to explain to them what the difference between a programming language and an IDE is, and why you need to ‘compile’ a bit of code and so forth.
Loopy : So if you guys want to speed the whole thing up you dont have to push the ‘run’ button with the mouse but rather …
Student (several with hands up in the air) : What’s the ‘run’ button sir ???
Loopy (taking a deep breath) : I explained it to you guys, it’s to compile the code, it’s the button on the top menu that looks like an arrow, or a ‘play’ button. (Loopy holds breath fearful that onen might actually ask what a ‘play’ button is, but thankfully all hands remain down).
Loopy : anyways, like i was saying, instead of moving your mouse curser each time and pushing the button, you just press F9 and it’ll compile it directly.
Feeling good about myself, having taught them something new, until i see a hand go up. I take a deep breath and head over
Loopy : something wrong?
Student : Your ‘thing’ doesnt work!
Loopy : My ‘thing’?
Student : yea that compiling short cut.
Loopy (mildly surpised, and for a moment wondering if i had actually made a mistake) : Show me.
The student then promptly presses ‘F’ on the keyboard and then ‘9’, and then looks up at me, which that I-just-bested-the-teacher look of pride on his face …
Yea .. Digital Generation my *#$^&!
