Digital Natives
Prensky (2001) who popularized the term “digital native and digital immigrant” believes children born into a digital world are more advanced with technology than the “immigrants”, who did not have technology easily disposable at their hands. In contrast, Boyd (2014) believes “digital natives” are not as knowledgeable or skilled with technology as everyone believes to be. As an educator, one of our goals is to implement action research that will enable long-lasting learning experiences and technology is one of the tools to do so. Education and technology go hand-in-hand, it is something both students and teachers must learn the ins-and-outs and it is not something you inherit. Boyd affirms this by stating, “Rather than focusing on coarse generational categories, it makes more sense to focus on the skills and knowledge that are necessary to make sense of a mediated world. Both youth and adults have a lot to learn” (p. 194). We are all lifelong learners and we can all become literate in technology. Technology is part of our everyday lives and showing students how to effectively use it to do effective research, interpret accessible information, and control personal information are some of the skills we have to teach students. Although students are “digital natives” teachers can do just as Boyd suggests which is “to support by helping turn their experience to knowledge.” Now, more than ever, technology has become a big part in everyone’s life after experiencing an unforeseen pandemic. It was a time in which both digital “natives and immigrants” came together to try to learn new platforms, apps, and other educational-flashy content. Natives might be born into this technological era, but it is up to the old-timers to effectively teach them the content of how it works and other technical skills. Digital immigrants can give students the context that will help the digital natives a better understanding of how things work and to be innovative to create the future.
Attached is a TEDx Talks by Sree Sreenivasan elaborating more on “digital native and digital immigrants” and uses real examples about how digital immigrants can help digital natives.
Citations:
Boyd, Danah. (2014). “Literacy.” It's Complicated. Yale University Press. (pp. 176-199).
Prensky, Marc. (2001). “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.” On the Horizon, Vol. 9 No. 5. MCB University Press.
"We are all lifelong learners and we can all become literate in technology. Technology is part of our everyday lives and showing students how to effectively use it to do effective research, interpret accessible information, and control personal information are some of the skills we have to teach students." I totally agree with you on that! None of us are complete experts on technology there are still things that even digital natives can learn as time goes on and technology becomes more advance. Learning how to effectively use technology as educators is very important in that way we can teach our youth how to effectively use it too!
ReplyDeleteI loved this section as well, we are all life long learners and as educators we need to be able to adapt. I also think that learning is a collaboration as well, being able to learn from my students as they are learning from me, or collaborations with colleagues in learning new technology.
DeleteI don't know the Ted Talk you shared! Will check it out!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the Ted Talk you added with concrete examples of how we can support our students, thank you!
ReplyDeleteRoberto, you present so many great points about technology. I agree that we all have always something new to learn about technology and, as you well mention, it is possible.
ReplyDelete