#digitalimmigrants

There is no doubt that technology has vastly entered the lives of students within the last twenty or so years. Prensky (2001),  promotes the idea that these students who are immersed in technology, can be referred to as ‘Digital Natives’. These students know the language and jargon of video games, computers, coding, and the internet, allowing them to be ‘native speakers’. Prensky, refers the rest of us as ‘digital immigrants’, insinuating that we are late to the party and were not born into a society full of today’s technology. Prensky suggests that our habits are a form of ‘accent’. Although we may be stuck in our ways, this does not mean we don’t have these digital skills. For example, I know very well how to create a mind map on the computer, instead I’d rather draw one out on a big piece of A2 paper, so I can scribble and draw my ideas.

Bennett, Maton & Kervin (2008), argue that the way the new generation of students use technology is different from the way previous students used it. They argue that education has to change, and teachers need to learn to adapt these new and emerging skills that these students are already immersed with when they first start school. As a preservice teacher, it is up to me to change the way that ‘digital natives’ are being educated. It is my duty to keep up with the skills and technologies used by these ‘digital natives’, in order to ensure that they experience a respectable education in the 2019. Although I may have been a ‘digital native’ in 2001, in 2019 students in primary and secondary school are the new generation, and they are the future. It is the job of 2001 ‘digital natives’ to foster the educational experience of 2019 ‘digital natives’.

Bennett, S., Maton, K., & Kervin, L. (2008). The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence. British journal of educational technology, 39(5), 775-786.

Do some preliminary research on your potential research topic. Find a source (any source will do) that discusses your topic. Summarize the source.

Source: https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Academic-Advising-Today/View-Articles/Digital-Native-or-Digital-Immigrant-Which-Language-Do-You-Speak.aspx

This article by Brad Cunningham explains that there is a theory and profound difference between those who are born during the most recent age Internet and those who are born prior to the rapid productions of digital technologies. Digital Natives tend to be people that have grown up in the new digital age or frequently use and enjoy technology. Current college students are the first to grow up immersed in technology. They have always grown us with the Internet, laptops, cell phones with text messaging, Google, Facebook or Youtube, PlayStations, digital cameras, DVD players, blogging, and many other types of digital technologies that allow them to instantly capture or communicate in the world. Young people use these tools and incorporate them into their daily routines

Digital Immigrants are those who are not usually accustomed technology and struggle with understanding. The Digital Immigrant is basically a latecomer in the technology evolution and they are not fluent in this new found form of technology.

The article also describes how we can begin to bridge the gap between Natives and Immigrants. Some of the strategies that we can use to connect digital natives and digital immigrants.

(This comes from the point of being a digital immigrant.)

Expand our comfort zones to meet digital where they are.

Listen to what digital natives tell us about technology; work with them and value their knowledge.

(Kadle, 2011)

To answer this question, we must first understand what a digital native is.           

According to Mark Prensky, digital natives are those who are “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games, and the internet. These digital natives have grown up with and have been exposed to a variety of digital technologies. I myself had never considered there could be a name for this until hearing about Marc Prensky’s terming of this phenomena, however, it has always been quite glaringly obvious that I, as a termed “digital native”, do have a different understanding of technology to my parents, and that my younger brother, has a different understanding again.  

 “We think and process information fundamentally differently from our predecessors.” (Prensky, 2001) Digital natives are used to receiving information fast and excel at multi tasking, this is greatly influenced by the use of the internet and widely available information, instead of books and other means of information. (Prensky, 2001).

There is a definite difference between  2001 digital natives and 2016 digital natives for numerous reasons. In 2001 modern computers were still very new to many people, expensive, slow, and had dial-up internet connections which meant that while information was still available at a higher volume and easier to find, it was much slower than the technology the 2016 digital native has at their fingertips. The amount of technology and the speed of it, with computers, smart phones, and tablets galore, with 4G data, and wireless internet, means that a 2016 digital native has been exposed to a much different experience. 

(Internet Live Stats, n.d.)

A 2001 digital native is far different from a 2016 digital native, and as technology is currently evolving and developing, and as new digital natives are born, the previous digital natives will become the digital immigrants, having to relearn and understand new technologies.

(Uni Check, 2015)

References

Internet Live Stats. Internet users. Retrieved from http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users/

Kadle, A. (2011). 5 Myths About Digital Natives. Retrieved from https://www.upsidelearning.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/5-Myths-About-Digital-Natives.jpg

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants (pp. 1-6). MCB University Press. Retrieved from https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Yes in my opinion ‘Digital Natives’ do exist. The definition of a ‘Digital Native’ is a person born or brought up during the age of digital technology who are are familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age (Oxford Dictionary). Technology has been integrated into the lives of 'Digital Natives’ since early childhood. These ‘Digital Natives’ grew up surrounded by technologies like iPhones, computers, laptops, iPads and tablets. Not only did they grow up with these technologies but they also grew up with social platforms such as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Google and the internet in general. 

During our tutorial we discussed this concept of ‘Digital Natives and ’Digital Immigrants’ the definition of a ‘Digital Immigrant’ is a person born or brought up before the widespread use of digital technology (Oxford Dictionary). After reading various articles on the issue I came to the conclusion that all these new technologies are changing the way young people communicate, socialise, create and learn. We are in desperate need of an educational reform in response to these "digital natives". Our educational systems are not up to date and have stayed the same for a number of years without taking into account these new digital technologies and platforms. ‘Digital Native’s’ brains are programmed differently to ‘Digital Immigrants’ and we as teachers and educators need to be aware and respond to this issue. If we do not how can these ‘Digital Natives’ get the most out of of there learning environment. They cannot flourish in an environment that is at a stand still.

Luckily I feel like I have grown up in this ever evolving digital world where we rely heavily on technology. From a very young age I remember going onto the internet and the computer. I feel this will help me in my career as a Teacher as I will be able to directly relate to this new generation of ‘Digital Natives’ being a ‘Digital Native’ myself.

References:

Palfrey and Gasser, Born Digital Response 2

Palfrey and Gasser’s article discusses the digital gap between digital natives and digital immigrants. These “immigrants” that grew up without technology are having to deal with or even raise a generation of natives that are nearly entirely dependent upon the digital way of life. I feel that even those that dislike the new digital way of life are finding it necessary to upgrade the way they used to do things. There are teachers, schools, and school corporations applying technology to the way they approach teaching increasingly each year. These digital natives are being “natively” introduced to the digital world through the immigrants that are having to adapt to it. The natives have to adapt to technology as well, it’s just that it’s not as complicated or bewildering to them because they’ve seen it in action from an earlier age; the concept of digital technology isn’t as mystifying to them.

Though they live in the same environment surrounded by technology, it’s sort of like digital immigrants speak an entirely different language than digital natives. Immigrants have been tossed (maybe unwillingly) into this new digital world where all the natives speak in the language of digital technology.  But as they say, immersion is the best way to learn a new language. Immigrants are immersed in the digital age every day whether it be at work or home. Digital technology has changed the way we communicate and live our lives.

Many older generations are angry at how digital natives live and the deficiencies they claim that “kids nowadays” have. I don’t think it’s that they’re angry with technology, they’re more upset over the fact that people are abandoning everything that they had become comfortable with in their lives growing up. People are no longer living the only way that the older generations know how to live. I think that the abandonment of tradition or ways of doing things is upsetting to people that are more comfortable with the way they lived when they were younger. Maps are going out of date given GPS, people find no need to visit libraries to find information given the ingeniousness of search engines, and there are many other advancements through technology that have diminished people’s knowledge of how life was before the digital age. For many people, I believe that tomorrow, if technology was wiped off of the face of the earth, humanity would not know how to survive it.