Sunday, August 15, 2010

GenYes International



Visit the GenYes International website and get a sense of the the big picture.  Watch the movie.  Explore the site and read an article or two.  Comment in your own words why this concept for schools is so successful.  How does it impact teachers at SMHS?  What role will you play?

13 comments:

  1. This concept for school is so successful because it raises opportunity for students to show a variety of skill sets that they would not otherwise be able to show. It impacts the teachers by opening up a new assortment of possible lesson plans. We play the role in helping the teachers utilize and fix the technology in their classrooms.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ok,now that i finally got this thing to work i can leave my comment(s). The GenYes Program is a vital asset for the older generations of citizens. Since the creation of the United States the the techanological world has evolved and adapted to what it is today. It may not have been a total change, at a constant rate but it has nevertheless molded todays society. The peoples of yesterdays generations didnt grow up with all this technical mumbo jumbo, thus leaving them with one of two options. one, adapt to "survive" or two, clng to the world they know and be afraid to take the next step into a new age.
    Those who choose to "embrace" the technilogical world need help, not having grown up in a world without ever adapting world, will always need help. Thats where we come in ("we" meaning GenYes) We are the next step of "Technilogical evolution." our job is to allow those who choose to use this new brand of learning, teaching, sharing , socialising, etc. to their advantage, and to the advantage of those around them. We are here to educate and sometimes develope new ways of getting things done. We are problem solvers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The GenYes program is, and will continue to be, a great success in schools for many reasons. One reason would be lying in the definition of technology as well as the basic underlying theme of it. The definition is that technology is anything that makes a task easier. One such example of primitive technology is the club. Before the club, man had a much harder time hunting, meaning a much harder time surviving. After the club came the spear, which made it even easier when used with the club. The theme is that with new technology comes new people with an expertise in how to use it. Those who mastered the spear early on were more likely to survive in the primitive world. Alongside those who know how to use it, there are those who are hopelessly lost in how to use it, and after an extended period of time in using the original equipment it will be tough to learn the new stuff. In todays society, we have the old technology of blackboards, pens and paper, encyclopedias, and the teachers who learned using those things, and have been teaching with those things. However, we also have the new technology of computers, projectors, the internet, and the teenagers/younger teachers who have learned using this technology and have grown used to it and aquired an expertise with it. This is where GenYes comes in. Back in the example, there would be those who learned the way of the spear who would try and pass on their skills to those who are still users of the club. Today, GenYes has students with a mastery of modern techology teaching the teachers how to use it when they would otherwise be completely lost. The reason this program will continue to be a success is that this cycle is never ending. As with the spear/club example, when farming was discovered, those with that skill had to teach the hunters so they stay with the times. As technology in everything advanced from the club to the iPad there were those who knew what was going on and would teach those who had no idea. With GenYes being composed of the brightest teenage minds in technology, they will stay hip with the technology until eventually they stop learning as fast and start to fall behind. At this time, there will be new GenYes people to help teach the new stuff the old GenYes people weren't around to learn when it originally came out. As long as technology keeps advancing, new GenYes kids will be needed to help everyone keep up.
    The teachers benefit from this because there are (now) 15 people who can help fix their computers or help with technical questions they may have rather than 1 like there would have been without the Shadow Mountain GenYes. The same goes with other schools. With the GenYes program, this gives more people the ability to help fix/solve problems meaning that more get taken care of faster and more efficeintly.
    As a member of the GenYes program, I plan to firstly, be able to carry large, heavy items around for everyone else becuase I can do that and have done that in other organizations I have been a part of. I also hope to provide random pieces of information that others either don't already know or don't think of when trying to figure something out. My main goal is to gain a better knowledge of technology and computers and the like so I can go off and be helpful with this stuff outside of GenYes and outside of Shadow Mountain. That is more of a personal goal and a long term goal than a short term, helpful contrabution, but I feel that with learning, I can help give the GenYes program an even better name for itself in the future through what I learn.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This concept is so successful for schools because, as Ethan said, it help students show different skill sets than just the basic science and math classes. It also provides students the ability to learn new skill sets that they can use as well. It impacts teachers by giving them a sort of on-site technical help group. The role we will play will be helping teachers by testing possible new educational games, or helping out with their technical problems.

    ReplyDelete
  5. when teachers need help, which they do a lot, they cant only rely on the on the one or two techs on campus. that is where we come in. we grew up with this stuff, and we are good at helping others learn it. We also help explore new concepts and ideas that can be used in the classroom and the media centers around the district. It would be good for all the teachers at every school to have access to kids like us and that is why every school should have a GenYes program.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think GenYes is great for schools because it's totally different than any other class we have. It's a more project based class, which is important when we're dealing with things such as implementing gaming and beta testing. I think because of how different GenYes is in comparison to the other class we take here at Shadow, we're exposed to the different ways things are in the real world, and that not every job we might have runs just like a classroom. Furthermore, because GenYes allows students to help the teachers it definitely puts us in a leadership position. It makes us take on a whole set of responsibilities that not only make us a better student, but it makes us into mentors for the other students.

    ReplyDelete
  7. GenYES is one of the most important programs in school today because it promotes technological literacy. The fact that the Internet is close to ubiquitous in our every day lives means that anyone with a lack of technological ability is at a significant disadvantage in schools and in the rest of their lives. GenYES serves the dual purpose of improving the technological literacy to help students get into better colleges and better jobs but also improves the access to technology at school, district, state, and national levels, allowing teachers to teach students more effectively and efficiently. When the day comes where schools go all digital, the GenYES kids will be way ahead of the curve, and they'll be pulling their peers behind them. Technological literacy is going to be the most important skill as we move into the future - every single task and skill will be connected into the ubiquitous Internet where we all are connected.

    ReplyDelete
  8. By having kids who have grown up with these concepts and technology as an accepted part of their life, it gives teachers a leg up because they are talking with poeple who can use it seemlessly. We know how to get computers to do exactly what we want, by sharing this knowledge with the teachers both parties benefit. Unfortunatly most teachers at SMHS don't use the genyes techs on a regular basis. I play the role of graphic designer and all around awesome adviser to the grou[. thank you, no gratitude, just a mini fridge.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Genyes model allows students to interface with teachers in a way that connects those that actually know how to use the technology with those that have trouble. It makes sense to train a small group of students to assist the teacher freeing up the Media Specialist to do other more important things. As teachers learn that they have more help for incorporating technology they become more willing to do so. The more interactive materials are introduced into the classroom the more the kids are willings to learn. As Genyes students we need to be prepared for this change. The mentors need to train the newer students and lend a hand .

    ReplyDelete
  10. Genyes is a successful program because us as students, are actually into all the technology and the projects you assign to us. We also get to help teachers thats mite have trouble with there projector, computers, ex. It would impact the teachers in a good way because it gives them us to fall back on if they have trouble and need help. My role in Genyes would probably go around doing tech support on campus, although I still would like to learn more about hardware.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gen yes is so successful at schools because it shows what kids can do, that they couldn't show in other class. There is nothing else offered at schools like gen yes. This means that kids can do something different, and learn different skills that they couldn't learn in other classes. It impacts teachers greatly because of TAPS teachers can get help from the students that they teach. I will play a huge role in gen yes, i will try and do as many TAPS, as i can and help other students and teachers with their tecnology needs. I am really looking forward to a fun year.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This class for is an opportunity to learn more about tech stuff. I look forward to improve my tech skills. I want to learn how to do stuff so i wont look dumb in the future. I also look forward in talking to people from forein countries. Helping people out on the campus is something i look forward to doing that.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I believe GenYes is a very important class for those who want to learn more about computer applications and features. In most cases, kids will most likely learn concepts they never knew. Having been in the class at barely an elementary school level, i got experiences i never thought id use later on in life, but i have, and i will. As we move foward into our lives, technology and computers in general will become a bigger part of our everyday life and part of society. Im glad I got to expand my knowledge on in-depth powerpoint, imovie, windows live movie maker, etc, and i would have to say that making presentations and such, like for TAPS would be my strong point in this class. Teachers can have a great advantage because they have a personal aide in GenYes team members that they can turn to with help and I know i'd be happy to help. Im looking forward to this class as the year pregresses.

    ReplyDelete

Humor is great. Always please be appropriate.

On posts where you are asked to state an opinion, thoroughly support your stand. Number your responses!