What Do 21st Century Learners Want?

Mrudula Patri

Guys! Check out this video! ‘Engage Me’ It’s so cool and cute!

Alright, what do 21^st Century learners want? They want to be self-reliant, self-confident, be given the freedom to learn what they are interested in and how they want to learn. They have no fear of using modern technology like the iPads or Smart phones. When the grandmas and grandpas are struggling to get them working, grand kids say “wait lemme show you”. They are familiar with blogging, chatting, surfing on the net etc.

Wanna hear something?? My 5 year old granddaughter navigates through the net like a pro and my 3 year old grandson says to his MD mom who is frustrated with dealing with a lost window on her computer screen, “don’t worry mom, I can fix it for you” and he actually did!!

Wanna hear something else?? When my friend, some ten years ago, wanted to learn how to use a computer, but was terrified of touching the mouse, her 12 year old son had to tell her “mum it’s just a plastic mouse…it won’t bite you, you can hold it”

Times are changing buddy, and we better realize that. Kids don’t have to be hand-held nor should be told that learning takes place in the closed boundaries of a classroom, in the presence of a teacher. Students now have the whole world presented to them and knowledge can be accessed through the internet by means of a computer or even through a smart phone!