Digital Immigrant is someone who wasn't "born into the digital world" (Prensky, 2001a, p. 1). The Digital Immigrant learns to conform to the new environment, but they don't fully leave their past behind. Digital Immigrants think and learn in a step-by-step approach. They use to technology as a second option and not the first option. Digital Immigrants don't think that "students can learn successfully while watching TV or listening to music, because they (the Immigrants) can't" (Prensky, 2001a, p. 3)
Digital Native is someone who grows up with the full technology. Their entire existence has been "surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age" (Prensky, 2001a, p. 1). The children today have the ability to multitask, and don't need to use the step-by-step approach to learning as they are able to parallel process information. They want the immediate gratification that comes with technology.
I am at the tail end of the Digital Immigrants. I was born in 1972 and in 1974 Pong arrived. Even though "Atari" was available, my parents couldn't afford that luxury until the late 70's. I graduated high school in 1990 and had my first cell phone 1991. In addition, I didn't even own my first computer until 1993. I began my career as a paper junkie. I liked to have that physical piece of paper (e.g. bank statement, email copy) in my hand. I am getting better with this concept and I have one bank account that is on eStatements and I now move my emails into electronic subject folders.
Even though I am a tail end of the Digital Immigrants, I also possessed some of the traits of a Digital Native. As a young student, I would listen to my music or watch TV while doing my homework or reading a book. I also "prefer graphics before the text" (Prensky, 2001a, p. 2). Even though, I didn't have the technology at my fingertips as a young child, I have all the technology today and I'm still young enough to conform to my environment. Also, I have two teenagers and two toddlers, so I am ever learning change from them.
Digital Natives do learn differently than Digital Immigrants. They have so much technology available to stimulate their brains. "They develop hypertext minds. They leap around" (Prensky, 2001b, p. 3). They are "accustomed to the twitch-speed, multitasking, random-access, graphics-first, active, connected, fun, fantasy, quick-payoff world of their video games, MTV, and Internet" (Prensky, 2001b, p. 5). Their minds are constantly going and they don't have time for the old way of learning or thinking and that causes educators (Digital Immigrants) to think that they have short attention spans.
Web 2.0 technologies are more effective for digital learners. Since Pong arrived, kids "have been adjusting or programming their brains to the speed, interactivity, and other factors in the games" (Prensky, 2001b, p.3). Their lives have been surrounded by technology. "They function best when networked" (Prensky, 2001a, p. 2). Web 2.0 gives them the opportunity to be connected with technology while still learning. Web 2.0 gives the Digital Natives the immediate gratification that they crave. "Kids don't like to practice. Games capture their attention and make it happen (Prensky, 2001b, p. 6).
Digital learners can be effectively taught in the classroom by bringing technology into the classroom. Lectures are not going to keep them interested, so as educators we need to adapt materials to meet the needs of the children. The first step for me to teach digital learners in a classroom is to learn all of the language of the full Digital Native. I will have to ensure that technology is used in the classroom. I will need to continue to promote and encourage technology advances within the classroom.
References:
Prenksy, M. (2001a). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. Retrieved from
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%
20-%20Part1.pdf
20-%20Part1.pdf
Prenksy, M. (2001b). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon,
9(5), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
9(5), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf
DISCLAIMER: This blog is an assignment for an Interdisciplinary Studies course at National University. It is not a real blog.
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