"Turing on the Lights"

In the article "Turning on the Lights" Marc Prensky said that 21st century students are not learning as they should in schools. Prensky blames this lack of learning on the school systems refusal to adapt teaching to the digital age. He says students are bored at school and learn more from their connection to games and the Internet than in classrooms. Prensky suggests that students today want to learn about the future while schools are stuck teaching about the past.

Although Prensky does make some good points that need consideration, he takes his argument to far. To suggest that students learn more useful information from a video game than they do in schools is slightly far fetched. Yes, schools and educators today should adapt their classrooms and teaching to the technologies of the 21st century, but they cannot stop teaching history or writing or math. The subjects taught in schools have been taught for centuries, but they are important regardless. These subjects need to be updated to keep the interest of today's youth but they cannot be abandon all together. Still basic algebra skills are vital for any functioning adult that wishes to do their taxes or find the best loan rates. Still writing and reading skills are demanded by almost every job. Still we must learn about our history to learn from it in order to not make the same mistakes in our future. Teachers should not students roam the Internet during school or use their cell phones since both are distracting and should be regulated. However, teachers should incorporate technology in their classrooms, update their curriculum, and encourage students to creatively use technology for projects and other assignments.