This video has been circulated pretty heavily for a few months already, but we just stumbled upon it and think it’s worth a mention. “A Vision of Students Today” is a short video created by Michael Wesch, Professor of Anthropology at Kansas State University, with the collaboration of 200 KSU students that summarizes how technology is changing the way students learn today. The video forces us to reconsider our understanding of pedagogy and traditional educational institutions, as well as the mentalities, behaviors, and goals of today’s students. Through surveying 200 of his Cultural Anthropology students, Wesch offers a somewhat disheartening glimpse of the reality of what it’s like being a college kid today. Watch it below:
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Inspiration to make things better.
WOW— good video. Thank you!!!
February 26th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I’m not sure I found that ‘disheartening’ as you suggest. Which of us didn’t face adversity, poverty, late nights and other distractions when we were at college? Isn’t it all part of the average college experience in the industrialised West? Perhaps the specifics are different now but I don’t know that the amount of challenge is any different to when I was at art school in England in the 80’s.
I actually thought that life was tougher for students now than this video suggests. Do they have higher expectations now? Perhaps we knew we’d have a tough time when we were young and the kids today don’t expect it? I don’t know.
Interesting video though.
Simon
February 26th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Wesch also created a great video on Web 2.0 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE
February 26th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Um, yeah, students these days actually have it WAY harder than before. I myself have to juggle a job, internship, and 18 hr credit classes - on top of that I’ll prolly graduate with like 90k debt. That video is unrealistic to a lot of students that I know. The kids in that college or whatever has it so easy.
February 27th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
College has become merely second highschool; it’s about proving your basic ability to complete tasks, more than actual learning (unless perhaps your field is highly specialized, but then you’ll probably learn more in grad school anyway). People waste tons of time at work, so might as well get practice in at school.
February 27th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Nice find. And extra credit Christine for the use of ‘pedagogy.’
March 5th, 2008 at 1:15 pm