EDUC 6809 Overall View of Peers' Case Studies

After reading my peers' case studies several common themes emerged.  First, most studies revealed our participants are mainly self-taught users of digital media. Next, multitasking seems to be pervasive, and doesn't interfere with the task at hand. Also, computer use in school is limited to research, or very basic projects (web 1.0). The case studies of participants in West Virginia are closely related to the studies in our course text in the following ways:  If teens have unlimited access to technology tools, they use the tools, if not, they devise a way to use what is available for social purposes or gaming. Teens rely on cell phone availability to stay connected, and make plans for getting together. Relationships are maintained and ended through digital tools as well. As educators in WV, we must begin to understand our students of today, and how to best manage their learning needs. It's evident teachers get caught up in mandated curriculum, school policies, and technical and resource issues that hinder and eliminate the use of digital tools. This can be time-consuming and frustrating, and lead to the common theme in most of our case studies; limited or no computer use in schools.  Students are often placed in different levels for instruction, but how often do we look at their unique learning processes for using digital media? Interviews, case studies, and parent involvement, would be a great starting point for informing teacher practices.