Educating the Net Generation How to Engage Students in the 21st Century

by Pletka, Bob

• ISBN13: 9781595800237
• ISBN10: 1595800239
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-07-01
• Publisher: Santa Monica Press

Summary

In examining the unique characteristics of the Net Generation, this book addresses the national problem of escalating high-school dropout rates and student disengagement and offers solutions as to how to best involve students of the millennial generation. Besides contrasting this generation's educational needs and expectations to those of their Gen-X parents and Baby Boomer grandparents, the narrative examines why many students resist participating in formalized education in schools and drop out. Subsequent chapters featuring student interviews and photographs synthesize the perspectives of current high schoolers as to their experiences, beliefs, and thoughts on learning while a parallel set of parent interviews, surveys, and photographs reveal what factors parents feel are important in their child's education and how they would like to see schools engage their children in learning. Recommendations for changes in school policy and financial investment critical to turning the situation around are also included, along with an inventory/checklist for parents, teachers, and school administrators to determine if their individual school environment has what it takes to keep students motivated and engaged.

Author Biography

Bob Pletka, EdD, is the author of My So-Called Digital Life and an associate superintendent of Vista Unified School District in Southern California. He has been a teacher in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, an associate professor in education at National University, and a director of instruction and technology for Covina Unified School District. He also served as a city commissioner for the city of Murrietta. He lives in Southern California.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Role of Information and Communication Technology in our Children's Lives	p. 11
The Emerging Net Generation	p. 25
Obsolescence and Mediocre Schools	p. 43
Student Voices	p. 59
My So-Called Digital Life	p. 79
What Parents Want from their Children's Schools	p. 103
What Schools can Learn from Starbucks, Scrapbooking, and Deep-Sea Fishing	p. 113
Solutions to the Problem of Student Dropout and Disengagement	p. 121
Afterword	p. 139
Inventory for Parents	p. 143
	p. 143
	p. 144
Inventory for Teachers	p. 145
Educational Resources	p. 147
Selected References	p. 151
Photo Credits	p. 163
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