After reading Digital
Natives, Digital Immigrants by Marc Prensky, I have come to realize that I
am a mixed learner. I am a Digital Immigrant because half of my life I was
taught and raised in the ways of reading and writing while the other half of my
education, I was taught through technology. As I was growing up my education
was technology free until I was in fifth grade. The growing of using computers
and technology devices to teach students were booming fast in schools. To this
day as a college student at Rhode Island College, I am just getting to learning
how to use technology to help with my education. I may use blogs like this or
make power points to show my understanding of a specific topic but I would
rather prefer learning through reading from a book and taking my time. My
nephew on the other hand is a Digital
Native. He was taught since he was a baby through technology and to this day
learns and works better through his electronics. At the age of 9 years old, he
is able to teach me how to use the computer more in depth than some college
students. Each generation is slowly changing and as a community we need to
learn to adapt to the new ways of learning since someday, technology might
become the Digital Immigrant.
The ways technology can help me as a youth worker is
realizing the different ways our youth learn. We think that all youth of today
are growing up using technology but some youth don’t have that type of access. Some
youth are not allowed to use technology for schooling or for their own
enjoyment which makes them part of the Digital Immigrants. By being experienced
as a Digital Immigrant and Native, I can help the different youths with their
learning and education. Like Michael Wesch shows us in his video, technology is
constantly growing and can help explore and learn beyond our wildest thoughts.
This can help not only the Digital Natives but also help the Digital Immigrants
learn, grow, and explore on how to become a Digital Native.
To help understand the difference between Digital
Native and Digital Immigrant here is a fun video from Andy Tattersall that can
help explain the difference between both these terms. Just click here to watch the video.
It is funny to see younger children, like your nephew use technology like it is no big deal. My little cousins do the same to me and I’m just amazed at how much they know at such a young age. I defiantly agree with you on how since technology was still new when you were younger that will help you work with youth, who are part digital natives and part digital immigrants. I didn't look at it that way before I found that interesting.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have my 2 year old nephew playing fruit ninjas. The little bro slicing fruits like a pro. Recently, I had a 4 year old pre-k student during nap time use my phone (while I watched) go on google play store, find a free app game that he picked (spider man), downloaded the game, and then play it. This child only knows like 5 sight words plus his name, yet he was able to navigate the UI on my phone. These young digital natives know their digital language well... very well...
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how young ones these days use technology! My two younger cousins are on the computer all the time doing their math problems. Their school has a special software where they can do their problems at home and then send it in to the teacher. Technology is booming today, and I bet in the years to come almost all schools will have software where children can just do all their work online. Brittney, I really liked how you showed both sides of being a digital immigrant and digital native. This will surely prepare you to work with all different children who are both digital immigrants and digital natives.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I remember in elementary school learning how to write cursive and everything had to be written out. Now everything is on the computer. My brother is in fifth grade and hasn't learned how to write in cursive at all. like how are these kids gonna be able to sign important documents or a check. its crazy.
ReplyDeleteHow can we as educators capitalize or lever the fact that the younger generations might know more about technology than us? Such an interesting aspect of the world right now!
ReplyDelete