View this You Tube video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
According to the videographer: "This is a short video summarizing some of the most important characteristics of students today - how they learn, what they need to learn, their goals, hopes, dreams, what their lives will be like, and what kinds of changes they will experience in their lifetime." It was created by Michael Wesch in collaboration with 200 students at Kansas State University.
Do you think this typifies the college student of today? Are we, as educators, addressing their needs? What can we do to better address those needs and more effectively prepare them for the world they will face when they graduate?
64 comments:
Your video was great!! Being a student myself, so much of that was the truth!!! Good job guys!
I agree with everything that the students were saying throughout this video. The students represented themselves realistically. There is not a lot of learning that takes place when class sizes are 115 people, and when the room is so large- it is difficult to see the board and hear what the Professor is saying. Although students are in the classroom there is often little learning going on.
What a bunch of cry babies. Who are they to complain about their "tough" lives. I don't really understand the purpose of the video either. They are saying they need technology in the classroom, yet they went off about people's salaries being too low in the world. If they did have technology they'd break it, steal it and ruin it, just like how they put graffiti on all those chairs. That being said, technology included in a classroom is never a bad thing... if that was their message.
I agree with this video. We do spend too much on books we don't open. Also being in debt is very real future some of us have. And it's true that many of us do spend more time on line reading web pages then our reading for class.
I believe I am like those students. I don't believe there is enough time in the day to get all of our work done. The expectations of universities are a little unrealistic and half the stuff we need to do for course work, we will never need to know or use. The amount of money we need to pay for loans after we graduate is ridiculous. We are constantly told to go to college and get a good job without realizing that for the next 5 years we are going to be in debt from going to college. Classes and school work is to time consuming, so we can't even work while we are attended classes which I personally need to do in order to survive.
Great video.
I think the video was great!In today's classroom, I feel that students rely too heavily on computers and technology and lose interest in actually reading their assigned material. While technology can be beneficial, I also think it hinders the overall classroom learning experiences. The video was realistic and very relatable!
Crying about the fact that you're not working hard enough is not going to solve your problems. Being a student is temporary. What you get from it is up to you. I do agree with the fact that it can be overwhelming at times, but it is worth it in the long run.
Buenismo, me encanto mucho. Me parece algo esplendido para los universitario de hoy en dia. Es lamentable nuestra realidad, me hace reflecionar que podemos mejor nuestto vivir.
I agree that college students spent too much money on textbooks that do not get used. Also, after college, most students will be in debt which is unfortunate.
I believe that what the students said was true. I agree with what they say and I have some of the same beliefs. I was suprised to see how large some class sizes could be and I know students can't benefit in a class that size because they can't get the individual attention they need. I think the teachers know about this but choose not to care.
This video is explores certain truths about college students. We become overwhelmed with lessons and studying that leave us with little or no time to do everyday activites, such as sleep. We spend a large amount of money on textbooks and materials that we do not neccessarily use throughout the semester, while people in other countries suffer because insufficient funds. We also spend a considerable amount of time on websites such as facebook rather than prioritizing our time with academic explorations and studying. College students are expected to become robots, multitasking is second-nature and in some ways it's good, but in many times we loose our focus.
I believe that technology is a great way for student to be more creative in their work and provides information through a level of interest for the students. Any college student can relate to the importance of smaller classrooms and to teachers knowing your name. A more personal enviornment will lead to more learning. It is important that we can fiure out problems for ourselves as well are type and click our ways to the answers. It is also important that we can use our brains for informaton as well as our memory disks.
these are the same problems that young people have been facing for generations,only different and faster changes.Keep the faith and be creative."there are no problems only solutions"-John L.
I agree with the things said in the video especially the one about spending a 100 dollars on a textbook and never using it.
I think that most people spend a lot of money on textbooks and never use them. I think we have to bridge the gap between instruction and technology, not fight it try and use it technology can definitely improve some lessons, but not all a great deal overall.
I found this video to be very interesting. While I found all the statistics to be interesting, I have to ask, who's fault is it that those students never open their textbooks? Why must they constantly search during class on facebook? School is hard - it is supposed to be hard, no one ever said it was easy. As students it is their job to be there to learn - not blame those that are trying to teach them or the institutions.
Chris, I agree with what you are saying. I believe that technology can bridge learning but I also think that students need to learn that everything cannot be spoonfed technologically to them.
I had mixed messages about this video...at first I thought it was going to explain how technology improves learning and engagement (like most of the other clips we have viewed) but then students talk about how much time they use computers for social pleasure rather than educational exploration. Aside from my own beliefs was this for or against technology?
Meghan, I agree with your comment about how we spend all this money on books and don't even attempt to open them. But is that now a fault of educators making a text a requirement for the class when it is obvious that the computer is a great resource? OR is that a fault of the student that is not realizing the importance of school and education and would rather do whatever they wanted?
I think this video was a note towards the educators. Being that technology is so heavily used today, maybe there is some better way students will be able to utilize their class time. Seeing that they use it a great deal during class for socializing, if the lessons incorporated technology, they might be paying more attention and doing more classwork.
I agree with Lynn also in that why are the students blaming the teachers in a way. However I also feel that the teachers should be up to date with the technology and should be changing their lessons around a bit so that it can be used.
As for the text book comment, the teachers should use the books the most that they can, otherwise, it should not be required to be bought by the students. Being that there is so much information readily available on the internet, maybe the teachers should instruct the students to do more reading and research online rather than spending so much money on books that are not being used.
Lynne-You are right! Why are textbooks not being opened- maybe we need to look at this. I have found some textbooks much more appealing than others.Let's not get too defensive about the students' not opening their books, maybe there is merit in some degree to why the textbooks are not being used. Peace.
This video should be shared with all teachers. As a student, I can relate to much of what the students on the video were saying. It is very true and all teachers should take into consideration that technology is changing the way the world works and the way that todays students think. This was not the first time that I have seen this video, it was shown to me in several other classes that I have taken at Molloy, but every time i see it something new is pointed out to me. In order for teachers to be successful, they must be updated on different technologies that they could incorporate into their classes to keep students interested and motivated to learn.
I think that all of us can relate in some way to this clip--whether being completely bored in a lecture class of 100 students, not getting much out of scantron type tests, or feeling that some professors do not even know your name. Having this prior experience, I know for myself that I will make a great effort to incorporate technology and updated tools when and where it is appropriate. If technology plays such an important part in our current lives and will continue to do so, it’s inevitable that it should play some part in our education. With the already tech savvy students entering our classrooms, we as teachers must motivate them in ways we know they will find content interesting and engaging. Although technology could never replace the role of the teacher, it can help to enhance lessons where such technological resources are constructive.
The You Tube video “A Vision of Students Today” illuminated the quandary college students are experiencing. It leaves one wondering—what is the purpose of higher education? I was shocked when I saw over 100 students in a lecture hall trying to read chicken scratch faintly written in chalk a mile away. This did not make any sense. I went to a private college and had 5-15 students in a class, and the professors got to know us well.
Yet, there were times when I was told to purchase expensive books that the professor never used. I also had to do assignments that neither had personal meaning nor a connection to my aspiring profession in the real world. I read a novel a week by day and highlighted information in other books by night. Some how in-between the madness of being a full-time student, I managed to write extensive papers. I felt like a robot. My social life was put on hold for four-years! The few moments I had, I spent with my husband and children. I also worked 2 hours a day and eight hours on the weekend. I was up through the night drinking coffee, studying for tests, and doing laundry. Just like the students in the video, I was also bored by some lectures. And today, after all the sacrifices, I have discovered that it is very difficult to get a teaching job. So I can relate to the students’ concerns about their future.
However, I feel I was lucky because the majority of my professors utilized technology. I was exposed to the Smartboard, PowePoint presentations, blackboard, and classroom blogs, which made learning interesting. This made sense to me because technology was an instrumental tool for instant communication and information.
Therefore, I think this video will wake up or shake up educators who are still living in the “Dark Ages” avoiding technology. Today’s students have a shorter attention span, due to all of the stimuli found in the multimedia surrounding them. Thus, students need a multi-sensory approach to learning, which technology provides. Technology enables student to be come active learners instead of passive learner. For that reason, it is the teachers responsibility to incorporate technology to make learning a meaningful, purposeful, and powerful experience for all students. Personally, I cannot wait to use the Smart board and PowerPoint with my students—that is…when I get a teaching job.
Valerie F.
I agree with Melissa and Luci; all of us can relate to this video in some way.
Valerie F.
Lisa M.
I think that this video identifies with most students that attend college. However, during my college experiene there were at least a handful of classes that I truly did enjoy. Unfortunately, we aren't going to love each and every course or instructor throughout our educational experiences. In a way, it is preparing us for life, in that, we aren't going to enjoy everything that we are going to have to do. I believe that it would be most benefical for students to attend smaller classes and have technological resources that are available for them through the Universities. For example, one course that I took in college actually had the textbook that was required scanned onto the college website. I thought that is was a great way for students to save money and easily access the text.
Lisa M.
Well said Valerie. I 100% agree with you!
Ida Elizabeth
I must say, I really enjoyed watching this video. It was a great way to capture the different ways typical college students learn and how technology influences their daily life. I can definitely relate to the students in this video prior to attending Molloy College. During my undergrad years, I attended many classes that were uninteresting and over crowed. As a student and future educator, I believe schools should accommodate student’s different learning needs and incorporate technology into their classrooms. I feel that a lot of schools are set in their ways and are afraid of change, however, technology is our future and it is inevitable that technology be part of the curriculum. Schools that have not advanced in technology should take some time to watch this video. I believe if educators see firsthand the different characteristics of students today and how they learn they too will change and students will be better prepared for their future after graduation.
Luci,
I agree that many students today are tech savvy and we as educators need to motivate them in ways they will find the content more interesting. I also agree that technology could never replace the role of the teacher. We just have to try to incorporate technology as much as we can to accommodate students.
~Ida Elizabeth
I think that this video was a bit extreme. Yes, some colleges have lecture halls of 115 but as a prospective student, you take this into account before you decide to enroll. In addition, you research the school and the amount of technology utilized before you drop $20,000 per semester. As a previous undergrad at a small college with class sizes no larger than 20, maybe I was spoiled, but that’s what I knew I wanted. As for the cost of textbooks, they are absurd. The major scam is that the professors have to purchase the “new” edition (which is the same as the old edition but the cover is different and they re-formatted the pages a little bit).
I agree that technology use in the classroom can enhance the lesson, but I will not agree that it most definitely does. I have sat through classes where the professor breaks out a fancy power point and everyone ohh’s and ahh’s until the inevitable happens; the professor does exactly what he/she would have done if they were standing alone in the front of the room with a podium, they lecture.
If utilized properly technology can be an asset to the class. I am piloting a program for Texas Instruments right now in my Math A extended class. There are a ton of aspects the software has that are beneficial to the students and then there are some that are an utter waste of time. It comes down to knowing your students, your content, and working in technology appropriately.
If you want to see a great video about technology globalization and its affects on future generations youtube the video Did you know 2.0.
B. Ritchie
Undergrad I went to a small liberal arts school (Hartwick College) I felt like I had a different experience than many other college students. I felt like I was still in High School. I had only 20 students in all my classes and the professors got to know the students well. A more personal environment will lead to more learning. I would have been so lost in a classroom of 115 students. I feel that in such a large room little learning goes on. I do feel like this video was good but I was not able to relate to it firsthand. I do feel that in this day and age students do learn better using technology. It is important that we can figure out problems for ourselves as well as to type and search our ways to the answers using the technology that most of us have at our fingertips.
J.DiBrita
Another powerful youtube video- Did you know 2.0.
Thanks for sharing B. Ritchie.
The video is stating a lot of the obvious, particularly in larger universities. I don’t think that technology relates to the amount of debt students incur, nor do I believe it has anything to do with the amount of work or time students spend working. However, I think the world is growing and moving faster than some of us, and through the use of technology, all different types of people and cultures can be connected through one universal system (ie-technology). Whether it is the internet, email, youtube, or any other technological software or system, it connects different types of people, cultures, and in our case, learners.
I think technology is extremely useful within classroom. Most notably, it has allowed for all types of learners to connect with mathematics. I have seen students who have been completely disengaged within the math classroom until they are introduced to the graphing calculator. One of my students, who is learning disabled, paid attention and engaged himself within math lessons maybe once a week, if lucky. Now that he has his new trusty toy, the graphing calculator, not only is he engaged, but he understands and participates as well. Another learning disable student who has Autism is most actively engaged when technology of some sort is present within the classroom. Although I don’t think technology has anything to do with the fact that the students in the video had more work to do than hours allotted in a day (or any other fact they displayed), I think technology can and has played a role in students’ lives and will continue to do so.
The video is stating a lot of the obvious, particularly in larger universities. I don’t think that technology relates to the amount of debt students incur, nor do I believe it has anything to do with the amount of work or time students spend working. However, I think the world is growing and moving faster than some of us, and through the use of technology, all different types of people and cultures can be connected through one universal system (ie-technology). Whether it is the internet, email, youtube, or any other technological software or system, it connects different types of people, cultures, and in our case, learners.
I think technology is extremely useful within classroom. Most notably, it has allowed for all types of learners to connect with mathematics. I have seen students who have been completely disengaged within the math classroom until they are introduced to the graphing calculator. One of my students, who is learning disabled, paid attention and engaged himself within math lessons maybe once a week, if lucky. Now that he has his new trusty toy, the graphing calculator, not only is he engaged, but he understands and participates as well. Another learning disable student who has Autism is most actively engaged when technology of some sort is present within the classroom. Although I don’t think technology has anything to do with the fact that the students in the video had more work to do than hours allotted in a day (or any other fact they displayed), I think technology can and has played a role in students’ lives and will continue to do so.
~Andrea A.
Luci,
Excellent point about using technology to enhance a lesson! The teacher is the most pivotal part of a lesson. By integrating technology well, it can make a good lesson great. I agree that technology is a great motivator for students also. I've seen it do wonders in the inclusive classrooms.
~Andrea A.
I agree with Luci. We, as teachers and teachers to be, need to meet the needs of the students that are entering our classrooms. Technology is a huge part of their lives and we need to incorporate this into our lessons. -Anne M.
The students in the video were frustrated because they felt that their time and money were being wasted. Time is very important to all of us and we want it to be used efficiently. When stuffed into an auditorium with 100 or more students, it is hard for anyone to feel that there time is being used effectively. I was lucky enough never to have attended a lecture class. I attended a small liberal arts college and my largest class was 32 students.
I was also able to graduate using a computer only to type papers. I am behind in technology and need to catch up so I can effectly reach my students through technology.
I'm not really sure whether or not this video achieved its goal. That's mainly because I'm not 100% sure what it's goal was. It asked a lot of questions at the beginning, listed a bunch of facts in the middle, and ended with a quote about a chalkboard. A lot of the time I feel like projects such as the one shown in this video are nothing more than exercises in arrogance. Like most projects of this nature or articles of this ilk, all I see are a restatement of the same problems that are already obvious. I understand that most of the teaching methods in college (and high school and the lower grades, for that matter) are outdated and need to freshened up. But did this video make me understand that? Not really. This video would have been much more effective if, after all the complaints, some suggestions or solutions were given. I fear, as college students, we're not necessarily being taught to fix the problems of today's society, we're only being taught to question.
anonymous -
You stated something that I believe is the true issue at the heart of this video, or what this video should be about: the fact that you graduated without having used a computer for anything other than writing a paper. I could say that same thing. I have been lucky enough to learn technology throughout my first few years of teaching, but if it wasn't for that, I would be lost. A student's ability to use technology is what is going to make or break them in the future. Sadly, it seems that so far, while schools and districts are saying the word a lot more, their actual use of technology is still lacking. At least that's the way it is at my school. We say that our job as teachers is to prepare the students to be good and productive citizens, but how can we believe that is what we're doing when we're not sending them out into the world with the basic technological skills they need to succeed? That, again, is my problem with this video. They don't talk about solutions for the problems (increased technological training classes as part of the general curriculum in high school and college, and/or an increase in alternative learning, i.e. technological, projects in all classes), they just say the same things that have been said before, only in a slightly more creative way.
"Today's child is bewildered when he enters the 19th century environment that still characterizes the educational establishment where information is scarce but ordered and structured by fragmented, classified patterns, subjects and schedules." - Marshall McLuhan 1967
I think that some of the people that created today's technology probably sat in classrooms at universities such as Kansas State or other universities and actually listened to the professors, did their homework, cracked open the textbook, and showed up for class because they were interested in their own future and what it would be able to provide for them. I think that the majority of today's students need to be entertained 24/7 because of what technology has provided for them; constant and instant stimulation. I will sound like my parents when they said that they had to walk to school three miles in two feet of snow when I compare my childhood of the early 70s to my college classmates' childhood of the early 90s. I only grew up with channel 2,4,5,7,9,11, and 13. We got Cablevision when I was 16 and it still did not have the hundreds of channels that it offers today or that it offered in the 90s. Technology advances everyday due to the hard and innovative work of some for the benefit of everyone.
I think it is foolish for students to complain that they are not receiving an education if they are spending thousands of dollars to take the class but then they do not do the work associated with the class. Even more absurd areis the students that search facebook on their laptops during a lecture. Not everything is going to entertain you, nor was it meant to. I am just wondering if the students that are not completing the work are having their parents pay for their education or if they are paying for it?! It is amazing how much more work you will do if the money is coming out of your own pocket rather than someone else's.
Christine OB
I agree with Mills' comment that this video would have been more effective if there were solutions offered by the same students at the end of their complaints. I would like to see a follow up video by the same class.
One last thought...
I will say that I did encounter some of these types of students right here at Molloy. I was attending a required NYS workshop - the one on Drug Abuse. Three classmates were behind me and during the lecturer's presentation they were either texting each other
or passing notes back and forth. During the break a classmate commented to me that she hopes that her children never get a teacher like the "clowns" behind us. And yes, they had to pay the $35 fee for the workshop jsut like I did, but at least I believe that I got something for my investment.
Christine OB
Mills I totally agree! Some solutions to these "problems" would have been nice.
B. Ritchie
Powerful video. I have seen it firsthand in some of my classes. The teacher will be lecturing and some classmates will be on laptops IMing friends. Obviously something has to change....
I believe that ethics are a strong part of any students life. If they want to Facebook through class, then stay home. Be self-taught, don't waste $ on tuition.
I spoke to an undergrad last semester, who said that he could "read better" off of a computer screen then from a book or class notes. This was a big surprise to me. I will have to take this into consideration when teaching.
Theresa P
This video reiterates concepts that have recently been presented to me by professors and students alike. Teaching via technology is a way of the future however I do not believe that this video will inspire teachers to use it in engaging ways.
I agree with Luci's thought that technology is a great motivator for students. I too have seen inclusive classrooms really benefit from it.
Luci, I agree that technology is a great way to motivate students and its a great point that you made that teachers should incorporate technology into their lessons. However,the lesson should not be the only source of students education.
I think this viseo was effective in depicting real conflict that students come across in scholls today and they way technology has been a factor in this problem. I especially think the opening line''If these walls could talk, what would they say'' is powerful enough to captivate the viewers attetnion and garner a response. It is true, students today are frazzled and extremely overwhelemed with work and assignments, more so, they are concerned and occupied with the constant distractions provided by the internet like websites, myspace, facebook etx. Technology is not to blame for students lack of concentration and losing focus in the classroom. However, it can be seen as a tool that serves a large dysfunction to its primary users, especially in the school setting.
"I spoke to an undergrad last semester, who said that he could "read better" off of a computer screen then from a book or class notes." Wow. That's a surprise to me as well. I find I can read faster off the computer than a book so maybe there is some truth to that.
MargueriteK
Is technology taking over? Is it "the education" of the youth? This was a very powerful video which discusses many of the challenges and aspects of college life. While college can be hectic with all of the classes and papers, college students are finding an immense amount of time to spend on the internet, their cell phones, and watching TV. I can definitely relate to the video. I only graduated college last year. I spent a large amount of time on the computer (yes, I am a former facebooker). What happens when the internet is down? What happens when the computer crashes. Even today, I am dependent on the internet for my daily lessons, but I always important have a back-up plan. I love to integrate it into the classroom because it has become the culture. Students should be familiar with how to use it. Granted, it can not be the sole form of education for them. Balance is everything in life.
I agree with Luci and Melissa. The teacher is the "guide on the side." They can use technology as a resource, however the technology should not take the place of the teacher.
Wow, I thought this video really hit home. I can relate to the student bored in a lecture or spending hundreds of dollars on a textbook that will never be used. The world is changing because of technological advances, and with that, schools and teachers (in their teaching methods) need to as well.
I agree with Keri, students spend so much money on textbooks that are barely used. Using the internet as a research tool would help in this area.
I really enjoyed reading people’s comments to this website. I think it’s great that such a site exists and that future and present teachers alike are willing to use such a website in order to reach their students. As with what Melissa and Luci stated, when technology is used well it can be an excellent resource and tool. It is true that this type of technology cannot, and should not replace the teacher. But as we have seen, there is no reason this type of technology should not be incorporated into the classroom. To me, as we become more open to incorporating newer technologies within the classroom, the more power we will have to reach and educate our students.
I can totally relate to the students in the video. I went to University ay Albany for my undergrad and we literally had classes of 250 in lecture halls with stadium seating. You were not a name...you were a number. Your grades were based solely on a mid term and final. No individual attention was paid by the professor at all. I had a blast there but it wasnt becasue of the classes. I think that students are somewhat disenchanted when they step into a class like that. I think the video acuratey portrayed how it feels to be a student in college now. I agree with with Christine that students no what instant gratification. if something doesnt catch their attention immediately then youve lost them.
So i say if they are already on the computers why not use as a teacher use them to your advantage. Have the students use technology to make class interesting and engaging.
Kelly L.
I agree with most of messages that the students on the website presented. The fact that these students did tell adults their life styles and their thought about schools are very scared. If teachers cannot make students to considering that education are important for them, then they will have less and less interesting in being in schools. I think this video is very useful for teachers to create more interesting lessons for students. I agree with the a student who wrote" this book cost me &100 but I never open it". This was so true. Teachers need to make sure that the books that they want students to read, students really read it. I am one of these students that but books that I need for my course buy a book and never open to read it. It is time for teachers to consider how to make a classroom have more fun and interesting. It is a excellent video for teacher to answer these messages and try to stop student's thought.
I agree with Keri. It is true that students always complain about schools and their teachers. However, I think as the same time teachers need to listen to what are those complainers. Teachers need to be update with new technology in order to create a lesson that meet the need or the interesting of students.
It is important that we understand, as educators, that there is a need for students to use technology throughout their scholastic experiences. The truth is, however, that a lot of the information that the college kids were putting out there is reality and has been for quite a while. There is a need for teachers and professors to alter their lessons and change with time, but is there no value left in teaching students that they must listen to lectures and participate (and be social) in class? I'm just afraid that as we head toward newer learning styles, we are leaving behind some valuable lessons.
I enjoyed watching the video. I really believe big lecture halls should not be used. Attending Stony Brook University and having some classes in the huge lecture halls with over 200 hundred students was horrible. I really did not learn as much as I did in a small classroom setting. When a professor knows my name and sees the classwork I do fill a sense of accomplisment. When I am just a number I lose intrest. Using technology to bring students and professors together is important and should be used. I agree that something has to be done with the cost of textbooks. Robert D
I also attended stony brook university and while some kids excel in large impersonal classrooms, I found it difficult to understand material for chemistry and biology where you can't just ask a teacher a question since you're siting two floors up, you have to wait until recitation, which may be next week. The recitation teachers aren't always that great either. At stony brook, many were grad students from china that didn't understand questions they were being asked.
On the other hand, college is really for people who take their education seriously. If they don't understand something, they either have to seek help or fail, just like in life. Sugarcoating information to improve comprehension stops after high school.
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