“You don’t need to teach us.  That’s what Google is for.” That was the message a student shared with a surprised audience of educators during a popular technology conference. The students went on to say, “If I can’t figure something out I prefer to watch a YouTube video or text a friend rather than ask a teacher.” The other students in the room nodded their heads in agreement.

Many teachers understand this is how today’s students prefer to learn, but what does that look like?

As Danah Boyd recently shared on her site, “too many students I met were being told that Wikipedia was untrustworthy and were, instead, being encouraged to do research. As a result, the message that many had taken home was to turn to Google and use whatever came up first. They heard that Google was trustworthy and Wikipedia was not.”

Here’s what happen when you do that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWdyF-7fYkY

The role of teaching, learning, and professional learning has, or should, change for teachers in the age of Google? Today with alternative facts and fake news it is more important than ever for our students to understand, that while Google is a useful source, knowledgeable educators are there to help them determine which sources are credible and how to find safely find experts and peers to make up a valuable learning network.

This is the topic Lisa Nielsen will be discussing this weekend at Educon with Eileen Lennon, Jackie Patanio, and Darlynn Alfalla.  We will share some of the shifts we’ve seen and then discuss with participants how they have, or can, embrace new roles for modern teaching.

Source: The Innovative Educator