NetDay Results

I was shocked by how much I didn't know about "digital natives." I knew that technology was being incorporated into our culture at a younger age, but I didn't realize how young that point had become. Looking back at what kind of technology was available to my classmates and I in the lower grades, I would have to say that we are on the cusp of being "digital immigrants." All throughout my k-6 years, I didn't know about or use such things as DVD's, MP3's, cell phones or blogs. Even my regular desktop usage was very limited. From the results, I learned staggering facts like 63% of students in K-3 use desktops weekly and 30% have e-mail accounts.
This technology boom is sigificant for the teaching profession as it forces teachers to adapt. However, as the results indicated, a teacher's comfortability with technology isn't growing nearly as fast as a student's. This could have significant repercussions as some teachers will no longer be able to teach effectively for the age range they are working with if they cannot use technology in the classroom. For example, with every new trend that an age cohort undergoes, the teacher will have to adapt. One year, students might be more inclined to use e-mail to communicate, while another year, they might prefer IM. If a teacher is not in tune with these changes then student apathy or other problems might arise.
In general, I was mostly shocked by what I read. The number of advanced technology users and their ages are different than I would have thought. I realized that understanding and implementing technology in the classroom will be a crucial addition to a teacher's responsibilities if they are to teach effectively and reach out to their students.