Transcript Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants

Digital Natives
vs.
Digital Immigrants
P R E S E N T E D B Y:
CARA BOENING, ALICIA BOLES, DEBORAH BURNS
What’s the Difference?
Digital Natives
Digital Immigrants
 Turn to the Internet for
information second rather
than first
 Read the manual for a
program, rather than allowing
the program to teach them
how to use it
 Print out a document on the
computer to edit or read it
 Show people a website rather
than sending them the URL
 Speak the digital language of
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computers, video games, and
the Internet
Like to receive information
really fast
Prefer graphics before text
Function best when
networked
Thrive on instant gratification
and frequent rewards
Prefer games to “serious”
work
According to Prensky
 The biggest problem facing education is “Digital
Immigrant” teachers speak an outdated language and are
struggling to teach a population that speaks a new
language.
 They are often inflexible or unwilling to change.
 These teachers think learning can not or should not be
fun.
 Digital Immigrant teachers assume that learners are the
same as they have always been, and the same methods
that worked for the them when they were students will
work for their students now.
According to Prensky
 Neuroplasticity
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The brain changes and organizes itself differently based on the inputs it
receives
It is constantly changing during our child and adult lives
 Malleability
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Thinking process is carried out differently by each individual
Requires hard work
 Attention Spans
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Digital natives crave interactivity, an immediate response to their each and
every action
Traditional schooling provides very little of this compared to the rest of the
world
Digital natives are able to pay attention, but choose not to
Article: Video Games in Schools…
 When kids learn in an engaging, motivating environment with
research-based, standards-aligned curriculum, their test scores
soar.
 DimensionM games meets today’s digital students with a
highly interactive 3D gaming format, likes the games they play
everyday.
 These math video games allow the student to have fun while
learning math concepts, and they develop critical thinking and
problem solving skills.
 Students who played the math game over a 18 week period
scored significantly higher on benchmark tests, than students
who did not play.
Article: Reflections
 Digital Native students are far ahead of teachers
 Creativity and innovation are prevalent in today’s society
 With new technology, would push students to focus on
problem solving
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However, problem solving is messy and requires trial and error
 Problems with Technology
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Begin as exciting and unfamiliar challenges lead to boring and familiar
exercises
Worry that some complex problems (in math) won’t be able to be solved by
this generation
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Deals with more processes and steps than can be taught by a game
 Agrees with Prensky’s view that teachers have a great deal of
learning to do.
Article: The Spectator
 More than 2,000 years ago, Socrates warned about a
different information revolution— the rise of the written
word, which he considered a more superficial way of
learning than the oral tradition.
 Recently, the arrival of television sparked concerns that it
would make children more violent.
 Some brain scientists think that the micro-world is
changing the way we learn, read and interact with each
other.
Article: The Spectator
 A psychiatrist at the University of California, Dr. Gary Small,
agrees that daily exposure to digital technologies can alter how
the brain works.
 His concern is when the brain spends more time on technology
related tasks and less time exposed to other people, it drifts
away from fundamental social skills such as:
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reading facial expressions during conversation
social awkwardness
inability to interpret non-verbal messages
less interest in traditional classroom learning
isolation
Our Thoughts
 Technology advances, and it is here to stay. Therefore, we
should teach our students in a “digital native” language.
 However, we have questions and concerns.
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What happens to the role of the teacher?
Will the student’s have no interaction with their peers and lose their
social skills?
Will the student’s get bored with the same programs and games?
The school districts might not be able to keep up with technology,
due to costs and fast advances with technology. So will we always
be behind?
Sources
 Prensky, Marc. “Digital natives, Digital Immigrants.” On
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the Horizon Vol. 9, Oct. 2001.
Prensky, Marc. “Do They Really Think Differently?” On
the Horizon Vol. 9, Dec. 2001.
“Video Games in Schools to Help Millions of Students
Improve Math Skills.” ProQuest 21 Jan. 2009.
Clausen-May, Tandi. “Reflections.” ProQuest Mar. 2007.
Ritter, Malcolm. “The Spectator.” ProQuest Dec. 2008.