Ian Lyon's notes from his meeting on March 1:

As one might expect, student interests are quite varied. For any one medium or topic that garners strong interest from one group or individual, there is always a nay-sayer expressing little or no interest in that same theme. As a list, the following topics students expressed at least some interest in; all instances are drawn from responses to my questions about what they tend to read on their own, outside of class, of their own motivation.

Sports: A very popular subject, for boys and girls alike. However, students cautioned against using unpopular sports.

History: A number of students said they enjoy reading historical fiction, especially that describing experiences from past times and places. Ethnic affiliations were mentioned as a motivating factor, though they seemed not to be of primary concern.

Entertainment: This ranged from actors and actresses to movies (making of) to music. Some interest was noted regarding songs as literature, though other students were less enthusiastic.

Current Events: Most students are required in other classes to research current events, and some said they are strongly motivated to keep abreast with the news on their own. At least half the students said they read newspapers or internet news from time to time.

Mystery, General Fiction, Science Fiction: In general, few students were opposed to the notion of reading fictional literature (indeed, several said they actively do so on their own), but paramount, they say, is the interest level: age-appropriateness, topic relevance to their own lives, curiosity, etc. More than a few students also noted that stories about everyday life (dramas, etc.) and life on the streets were especially good subjects.

Computing Informational Reading: Three students said they are very interested in the idea of learning more (beyond basic computer/internet navigational skills) about computing technology, especially in terms of technical skills.

Aside from their own specific content and topical interests, the students and I discussed a number of other points of interest.

Personalized Reading: Nearly all students say they read on their own to some degree, though only rarely do they read material similar to what is assigned in school. Most say the sample-test readings are simple enough, but on the whole incredibly boring.

Reading Levels: Some students are chomping at the bit for stronger, more stimulating reading material. Others must be coaxed more cautiously to read with educational motives according to what they are familiar reading on a daily, personal basis. My initial impression was that reading for the most basic comprehension level is a skill most students say they have readily enough, though my limited perspective may well have been biased by social pressures. We will have to address Mr Caruso more directly for his impressions on the subject.

Critical Reading: Almost all students drew a blank when I mentioned this, as if the notion were quite foreign, and perhaps sounding suspiciously like still more dry, busy-work educational code. A clever approach will be needed to avoid causing most students to ignore ‘critical reading’ as something reserved for smart people, and thus not applicable to themselves (social pressures again).

Internet Skills: As a guess (and a guess verified by Mr Caruso’s estimates), a solid 80-90% of students are quite familiar with the net and use it regularly (especially at home) for a variety of tasks and interests. Nonetheless, those without internet access at home will by and large need their basic navigational skills shored up a bit, though virtually all are familiar enough with computer environments on the whole.

Interest in the Project: There is a general sense (though perhaps it’s just my own biases talking) that many students are quite curious about what we’re doing, and an even greater number is excited simply to have a sounding board for their own interests. I gave no specific details about the program (as none yet exist), though one student queried what coding environments we are developing the program in, and several expressed a certain desire that what we provide them would be of use to them personally. They would use it at home, they said, provided of course the program is of sufficient intrinsic interest and value.

Further Questions: Understanding student perceptions of critical and analytical reading skills could be better fleshed out than what I have done here. Also, I spent almost no time discussing test-taking experiences, skills, strategies, etc., with students, thus leaving a key issue still unexplored.

Taken altogether, then, our task seems three-fold (at least): The program must (1) be interesting and (2) useful from the perspectives of the students themselves. At their age, most seem to be quite active in their pursuit of immersive stimulation: something to do. However, there is almost zero-tolerance for adults herding them through hoops they perceive as uninteresting and irrelevant. Nonetheless, the third challenge (a challenge no doubt all too painfully obvious to Mr Caruso and many other educators for this age group) is to embed in the program an exposure to skills and knowledge dubbed valuable and necessary despite the fact that those aspects may not yet be perceivable as such by the students themselves at this point. (I.e., “This is good for you, trust me.” Or alternatively, ‘Social Sagacity.’) On the other hand, if my memory and intuitions serve me correctly, then at their age (~14), bullshit detectors are at maximal sensitivity, and with only minimal selectivity. In other words, students will not be easily duped into learning; yet brow-beating will be an immediate turn-off. To wax a bit philosophical, being fourteen sucks, we needn’t make that any worse; but being eighteen and ignorant will suck even more.

—IML.