The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler

The Networked Student video by Ms. Wendy Drexler was very inspiring and helpful, as well as knowledgeable. Ms. Drexler's view on the 21st century student is up-to-date with everything else going on in the world as far as technology goes. Ms. Drexler has marketed the "networked student", and I believe that students should be networked in today's technological world.

I had never really thought about a student needing outside networks for school. I am more of a traditional student, and the only source I use besides an actual book is the internet. Even though I love a traditional chalk board, text books, and pencils, times are changing. Teachers as well as students have to change with the time, or people will be left behind. Ms. Drexler's video on networking with students sends a powerful message that students need more than just an instructor telling them what to do; students need to learn how to find information, and who to look for when trying to gain information. Networking provides that plus so much more.

A networked student is able to use outside sources such as Delicious, iTunes University, Google Scholar, Skype, Blogs, and Wikispaces plus a teacher to gain information about different educational subjects. The video asked the question, "Why does the networked student even need a teacher?". The video then responded that a networked student needs a teacher to guide that student in the right direction, learn how to build a network, learn how to communicate properly, and many other things. A teacher acts as a "learning architect, modeler, and synthesizer" (Wendy Drexler's The Networked Student). A student could not properly know or understand how to network or become networked without a teacher.

Am I prepared to be a teacher of a networked student? I am learning everyday how to be a networked student myself right now. My EDM 310 class is the number one tool that I have in order to teach me how to network. I think that once I am a teacher, I will know a lot more about networking. Networking with students will help me teach other students how to network. I think that networking is something that students can help teachers with as well because students are always finding new websites to visit, such as Facebook. Before Facebook was open to anyone, it use to be open to just college students. Students found and used the website, and now teachers can be found on there as well. Facebook is just one example of a network site; there are many many more as well as more to come in the future. Being a networked student is very important in today's world. Books and pencils are just not cutting it; technology is too far advanced to not use to resources available, and using different resources is how a person can become networked.