Prensky's View and Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

In reading Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy, Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything and watching Prensky’s presentation on Digital Native, one thing is certain that technology is in everything that we do.  Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy and Schrock’s Guide use technology tools to facilitate learning in the classroom, but Prensky believes that is should be the foundation in which we build learning. Technology plays a vital role in our children’s learning and everyday life. 

In order for our children/students to thrive in a technology rich environment, as educators we must head into the digital world in our classrooms.  Today’s educational landscape is immensely different from that of yesterday.  With the vast amount of technology available to educators, many do not know where to place them in the hierarchal guide.  Therefore, I do not think it is necessary to break down technology into levels.  As a teacher, I can see how we can use Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy as a guide in what we teach, it should not be the foundation in which build learning.  Prensky states in his video that children are growing up interacting with technology and as teachers we need to keep up and make sure they are connected to their learning and make it relevant to them.  As a first grade teacher for 13 years, I know that if I stand up in front of the classroom and lecture my students, I will lose them in no time.  Students want to be able to discuss, collaborate, interact, and be engaged in their learning.  By using technology, you put the information you are trying to teach them in their hands and they can interact and learn with it. 

When requesting an app for the library, I would use Prensky’s views.  I would explain how our student’s will be engaged with this app and give examples of how the app would be used.  I would explain how it would filter their knowledge, enhance it, and maximize their ability to learn the objective that is being covered.

Librarians play a vital role in the 21^st century learner.  As librarians, we are the original information specialist.  The library can be a learning environment were students are able to access the digital tools and media-rich resources that will help them explore, enhance, and learn.  Librarians and teachers can collaborate so that teachers can have access to tools and resources they need to teach and integrate 21^st century skills in the classroom.  We must create learning practices that are relevant to  21^st century learners. 

I do fall short of Prensky’s views in the classroom as use more of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy way, but has an educator, I know it is my responsibility to be motivated to move forward.  Change isn’t always easy, we need to adapt to the ways children are learning in the 21^st century, as Prensky’s call them “Digital Natives.”  I see it with my own personal children, sometime they are explaining to me how a certain app works, how to play a game, or how to use software.  Although it will take some researching, learning, and adaptation as educators, we need to be willing to change old habits. 

Work Cited:

Bloomin" App. (n.d.). Retrieved June 7, 2016, from http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html

Churches, A. (n.d.). Boom's Digital Taxonomy. Retrieved June 7, 2016, from https://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/bloom's Digital taxonomy v3.01.pdf

Prensky, M. (2005-2006, December/January). Listen to Natives. Educational Leadership, 63(4), 8-13.