Better Understanting of Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

In this new generation that we are living in people need to have a better understanding of the differences of Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. In an article called "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants," by Marc Prensky describes the differences in learning process, views of the different generations and the affects they are having on students. Prensky defines Digital Natives as students of this new generation who have spent their entire life's surrounded by computers, video games, cell phones and many more digital gadgets. Most of this new generation will spend less time watching T.V and spend most of their time on their cell phones, computers and video games. As we (Net Millennium generation) have grown up experiencing different kinds of experiences that is what leads to different brain structures. As for Digital Immigrants defined by Marc Prensky, "those who were not born into the digital world but have, at some point in our lives, became fascinated by and adapted many or most aspects of the new technology are, and always will be compared to them." The biggest problem with Digital Immigrants to Digital Natives is education. There are many Digital Immigrants that are teachers and have not adapted to the Digital Natives as one students in kindergarten talks about how he has to wine down everyday at school click on the highlighted text to learn more on that story. Many of the Digital Immigrants are still stuck on their old ways of teaching with long lectures, writing down notes, printing to edit instead of editing on the computer and not much interaction which is affecting students of today. Digital Immigrants are struggling to teach to a population that speaks an entirely new language as described by Prensky. Students of these days need to get involved more and love to multitasks which they are able to do so. Being able to use computers more in the class or to take notes and research a topic while in class would be a great help for students. I have been a whiteness of this issue, as a college student i have had professors don't allow laptops and require you to take notes by hand. To most students i think its much easier to take notes on laptops and can have access to the Internet and look up a topic that's being taught in class to further your understanding on it. Understanding the ability of multitasking of students I think is the hardest task for Digital Immigrants to understand because many cant understand that students can learn by watching T.V, listening to music, texting and writing a paper all at the same time but they can because i have. Digital Natives need to understand that things have changed and that students don't learn the same as before and should try harder to understand Digital Natives and their different learning needs and appreciate the digital world/ gadgets a little more if they want their students to enjoy their class and teaching to make learning a lot better for students.



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