A Social Studies Video
A Vision for Students Today

What does it mean to be a student in our world today? This social studies video done by Professor Michael Wesch and his students shows us the state of the student that live in our world today.

Most of the statistics seen in the video seem to be negative, but this is why leadership is necessary in our world today. If you’re a student, you should take leadership in ensuring the next generation of students do not go down this slippery slope. If you’re an educator, perhaps now is a good time to think about what you can do it make a change in the lives of the students.

Here is the video transcript:

Today’s child is bewildered when he enters the 19th century environment that still characterizes the educational establishment where information is scarce but ordered and structured by fragmented, classified patterns, subjects, and schedules.” – Marshall McLuhan 1967

If these walks could talk… what would they say? If students learn what they do… what are they learning sitting here?

The information is up here. Follow. Of course walls and desks cannot talk. But students can.

The following question was asked, “What is like being a student?”

200 students made 367 edits to the document and surveyed themselves to bring you the following message:

My average class size is 115.

18% of teachers know my name.

I complete 49% of the readings assigned to me, only 26% is relevant to my life.

I buy hundred dollar textbooks that I never open.

My neighbour paid for class… But never comes.

I will read 8 books this year. 2300 web pages and 1281 Facebook profiles.

I will write 42 pages for class this semester, and over 500 pages of emails.

I get 7 hours of sleep each night. I spend 1.5 hours watching TV each night. 3.5 hours a day online. I listen to music 2.5 hours a day. I spend 2 hours on my cell phone. Spend 3 hours in class. 2 hours eating. I work 2 hours a day. 3 hours studying.

That’s a total of 26.5 hours a day. I am a multi-tasker. I have to be.

I will be $20000 in debt after graduation.

I am one of the lucky ones. Over 1 billion people make less than $1 a day.

This laptop costs more than some people in the world make in a year.

When I graduate I will probably have a job that doesn’t exist today.

Filling this out won’t help me deal with ..(war, ethic conflict..)

I didn’t create the problems, but they are my problems.

Some have suggested that technology alone can save us…

I Facebook through most of my classes.

I bring my laptop to class, but I’m not working on class stuff.

“The inventor of the system deserves to be ranked among the best contributors to learning and science, if not the greatest benefactors of mankind.” – Josiah F. Bumstead 1841.

The credit goes to Professor Michael Wesch and his students of Kansas State University for doing such a wonderful video.

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