Adjusting for the Google Generation

In a recent blog post "10 Ways Teacher Planning Should Adjust to the Google Generation"  Terry Heick points out that "information isn't scarce and students need help with data navigation.... The things students need to know is different than it was a half-century ago." I say the things students need to know is different than it was even 5 years ago and if you are still teaching like you did 5 years ago, you are failing your students. Some of you will say, "That's not me, I wasn't teaching 5 years ago" but are you teaching like you were taught? If so, then you are failing your students.

Let's look at Mr. Heick 10 suggestions:

1. Make the work Google-proof -
      If they can Google the answers then maybe you are asking the wrong questions.
2. Force them to grapple with big questions without answers - 
      Try some project or problem based learning, or use scenarios and learning simulations. 
3. Actually make social networks and media channels part of curriculum -
      Use what students are familiar with.
4. Focus on learning strategies -
      Help students learn how to understand and work with information.
5. Create curriculum and lessons that absorb data seamlessly - 
6. Anticipate student needs - 
     Be proactive and allow for choice.
7. Focus less on “understanding” - 
     When we "tell students exactly what they will understand, when they will understand it and at what depth, and how they will prove it" we are setting ourselves up for frustration on both the student and our parts. 
8. Use spiraling by design - 
    Decide on the most important ideas and practice them at different levels of Bloom's. 
9. Discourage use of traditional units - 
    Emphasize the learning
10. Illuminate the nuance of the world - 
    Students need to be able to separate what's worth understanding from what's not for themselves. 
11. Promote discovery and curiosity and self-direction over coverage and compliance