1. "The digital generation" kind of defines the generation that I was born into. I grew up in a time where video games had just recently come into existence. I have lived through the beginning of the commercial use of cell phones and the Internet. It's odd to think about to be honest. All of these things have been around for as long as I can remember but I hear my parents and grandparents talk about a time when they had none of these things. For me it's hard to imagine what life would be like without cell phones and iPods and laptops and online college classes. I never go anywhere without my cell phone, iPod and headphones and I'm actually listening to music while I write this post. If that does not define "digital generation" then I don't know what does.
2. These portraits remind me a lot of myself, my friends and some K-12 students that I know, they are just more involved with technology at a much younger age. I came up in an age where technology was evolving very quickly and I did not always have exclusive access to the internet or even a computer. Now I see children that are in 3rd grade running around with iPhones and it blows my mind, but I also understand that is just a part of how their generation is.
3. I think that there are many ways that technology can be used to benefit today's youth, but at the same time I think that, at times, we put far too much of an emphasis on it. I still think that parents and teachers need to encourage children to go outside and play with each other. I have seen, firsthand, how beneficial the use of videos and technology can be for students and I would never want to take that away from my students, but they can also learn and develop without the use of technology.
4. I would define 21st century tools as any type of technology that can be used for the benefit of a child's education. I have seen a third grade teacher use a camera connected to a projector to allow the students to watch her write so that they could learn cursive. I though that this was a very good way for students to observe and learn. She also used videos for break time. It is no secret that young elementary students get distracted easily and need a break from a teacher lecturing, so some educational songs that got the students up and singing and dancing really helped them get out a lot of extra energy.
