I found the video very interesting when it pointed out that it's not about who is in the groups-- it doesn't matter if friends are working together or people who already like each other. It's more about how well they listen to each other and give each other the opportunity to talk and contribute. I think students definitely need to work on these skills. They do better when there are assigned "roles" they need to play, rather than just getting together and democratically figuring out how to get the job done. In the articles, I think some students are very tech-savvy, but not all. I think it's easy to assume they are, since they've grown up with technology (i.e. phones, technology, smart TVs, etc.) but I don't think that necessarily translates to being tech-savvy. I have students who don't even know how to create a new folder on their desktop. Or if they download something, they have no idea where it goes. Just simple stuff like that. I believe students are very creative. Every year I am amazed at some of the work they produce (especially creative writing projects, any artistic assignment they turn in, etc.). They have incredible imaginations when they have the opportunity to really use them. I also think students are much more in tune with diversity around them as well, especially as we as educators continue to pull in multiple viewpoints, diverse literature, and create safe spaces in our classrooms.
