Strategies for Supporting New Immigrant Students with Learning Technologies
Benjamin C. D. Agbo
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Keywords: Strategies, Supporting, Immigrants, Learning Technologies
Abstract
The urban cities in the United States are demographically changing from dominant groups to more diversified population resulting from an increase in the immigrant population. For instance, in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, between 1990−2000 and 2000−2012, the immigrant population increased by 125 and 54 percentage points, respectively. This also brings a tantamount increase in the number of new immigrant students in the urban city school classrooms. These students came to the United States with(out) significant knowledge in using information and/or learning technologies. Evidence exists that the knowledge of using information technologies for daily lives does not translate to the effective use of the learning technologies for the purposes of learning. In other words, the assumptions that wide knowledge in information technology use for daily lives, even among digital natives, is a predictor of success in using learning technologies is very far from the reality amid teaching and learning reaching a singularity moment for more than a decade ago. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine how new immigrant students acquaint themselves with the learning technologies and the most effective way they could be assisted. The changing in the students’ demography in the Twin Cities, uses of information technologies for daily lives and learning, common general assumptions, and the imperative knowledge for using learning technologies are discussed. Providing remedial lessons on technology skills, learning technology-hub, and mentorship program are but a few suggestions on how to assist new immigrant students in getting acquainted with their new learning technologies.
Author Biography
Benjamin C. D. Agbo, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Benjamin Agbo C. D. holds a PhD in Work and Human Resource Education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; B. Sc. & M. Ed degrees in Vocational Teacher Education - Industrial Technical from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and a Minnesota K-12 Teaching License.
