Weekly Reading 9

1.How do educators in youth media programs differ from the orientation of classroom teachers in terms of preparing students for using digital media for work related purposes?

I liked the comment in the text about new media learning being validated by the expectation that it will transfer to job-relevant skills in the future (page 298).  I agree with this.  Educators in youth media programs tend to focus on collaboration and creation.  I also think there is less focus laced on there being a right and wrong.  Students are encouraged to think outside the box.  In the regular classroom, I think that there is too much focus on there being a right and wrong answer and structure, for lack of a better word.

2. With some important exceptions, how are lower income youth marginalized from using digital media in ways that might provide them with economic empowerment?

I think it all come down to access.  Economic status plays a role in almost every aspect of life, including the use of technology.  In my experience, lower income families have goals that pertain more to mere survival.  Often (not always) my lower-income students do not have the support of families.  They are often just wondering where the next meal is going to come from.  More of them do not have the access to technology that higher-income students do.  Many of them have to get jobs in high school to merely survive and help take care of the family. 

3. In 2005 the CEO of IBM announced that if we wanted know what business leadership looks like in the 21 century look at what is going on in MMORPG's. After reading Box 7.4 does this make sense? Are you impressed by the levels of commitment and collaboration it takes players to be successful in these games? Do you have new respect for gamers?
 It does make sense to me to look at what is going on in MMORPG's to find leadership.  I am extremely impressed with the level of commitment and collaboration that it takes to successful in these types of games.  I do, and always have, a deep respect for gamers and the commitment that they show.  I have actually got to see my own sons (and their friends) play this type of game - talking on headsets, listening to others comments, and changing strategies to succeed.  I have watched many epic battles to get through a stage.  While watching, I could definitely see, and pick out, the leaders as well as the grunts and doers with a common goal of success in mind.  Just like in the real world, we need them all to succeed.  Some of the ones that I never would have pegged as the leaders were actually the best leaders and the same goes with the strategists.

4. How do school need to change to become learning environments that cultivate the same kind of enthusiasm and commitment from young people like NeoPets did for Eddie? How can digital media play a role in the creation of these kinds of environments?
Assignments in classrooms need to be more relevant to real life situations.  Students need to know that what they are doing is important and relevant to them.  Using digital media to create learning environments is a great place to start.  There are many sites that already have such games that are engaging and relevant.  As teachers, we need to find those and use them.