Reading Reaction: Seeking, Generation M, and a Classroom Example

Interesting reading today.  I'll start with the article on seeking.

It made sense to me to read that the "seeking" drive in our brains is triggered by many online activities such as googling, Twitter and email and that it does not feel good.  How many times have I spent an hour goofing around on the computer, then thought, "That was worthless"?  Waaaaay too many, you guys.  I thought that this was an interesting sort of counterpoint to the angle from which we have been viewing technology until now.  We have been talking about it as something that kids are involved in and enjoy, whereas this article points out that the part of the brain being stimulated is not making us happy.  Maybe the teens texting in the classroom are not even enjoying what they're doing, but are consumed by their seeking drives.  How do you even combat that?  Do you try to give information in short bursts, so the students will "seek" what they have to learn?  Or are there strategies students can use to be able to concentrate on a lesson?

Generation M:  Who decided the letter would be M?  I don't recall having a say in that.  Does my generation even have a name?  I know I'm too young for Gen X, but I don't know what I am!!!  Drama!

Anyway, the idea that was the hardest for me to swallow was the concept of it not being rude for kids to be hanging out and also talking on the phone.  That is, it was hard for me to swallow at first.  But then, I thought of the way I hang out with Boyfriend now that he's across the country: through Skype.  We don't spend the whole call talking; we're doing homework, reading articles, watching YouTube videos -- and when we come across something particularly interesting, we share it.  I still leave the room when I get a phone call while I'm with friends, but after all this talk about the blurring line between public and private space, I can see why younger people would think differently.  I think it would be really interesting to ask my students for their etiquette rules surrounding technology.

I love the video about L's classroom, and I would love to do something like that with a German class.  Maybe we could study the experience of Muslims and Jews in Germany in the same sort of way.... things to think about!

-B