Tech Resource Review_2

Article Review:

Generation Tech
Annissa Hambouz and Javaid Khan
23 December 2004 

This New York Times article is a lesson plan to engage students in a learning experience that both asks them to be critical thinkers and to investigate the world of gaming.  Thus, the lesson integrates something familiar for many students (video games) with something new: the concept of business success and success in general.  The activity described includes class discussion, a virtual time capsule, brainstorming, presentation requirements, vocabulary, and writing exercises.  I really value the way technology is integrated so smoothly into this lesson, as it ties together various skills and disciplines.  I think it is very beneficial to at least peruse this lesson plan to see how one teacher has effectively incorporated technology into a lesson in a way that does not focus solely on the technology, but rather sprawls across multiple disciplines and skill sets.  In particular, the homework and the questions for further discussion show the breadth of knowledge this lesson provides:


4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: When groups have completed their entries, they may present them in class or at a school-wide forum, and/or post the complete time capsule to the school’s Web site.
As a follow-up assignment, students interview adults, including their parents and other relatives, neighbors, etc. about their understanding of some of the new technology discussed in class and write up their interviews in question-and-answer format. Encourage students to submit the interviews to the school newspaper, and/or add them to the archived time capsule on the school Web site. Interview questions should include the following:

-What do you think about video games, and about [two or three of the products reviewed in class]?
-To the teacher: What products did you use when you were my age instead of these products?
-Did your own parents or grandparents have a difficult time understanding or accepting technology that was new to your generation? If so, what types of technology, and how did they respond?

Further Questions for Discussion:
-Do you play video games? Why or why not? If so, what type of gaming system(s) do you use, and how often do you play? If not, why not?
-Do you rely on any of the forms of technology discussed in class in your daily life? If so, which one(s), and why?
-What would you do if, for example, the Internet (or another important and frequently used technology) suddenly ceased to exist?

Lastly, the lesson is beneficial in that it satisfies common core standards 

(i.e. for 6-8th graders: 

Technology Standard 3- Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual. 

Language Arts Standard 4- Gathers and uses information for research purposes.

Language Arts Standard 8- Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning.)

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2004/12/23/generation-tech/