Marc Prensky describes the "immigrant/native divide" as the difference between those who were not born into the digital world but have adopted digital technology later in life (digital immigrants) and those who have grown up surrounded by digital technology (digital natives).
According to Prensky, this divide has affected how students learn in several ways. Digital immigrant educators often find it hard to communicate with digital native students effectively because they speak an "outdated language" compared to the digital language of the students. Information can be misunderstood and difficult to convey.
Digital immigrants tend to use traditional teaching methods that may not resonate with digital natives who may prefer something faster, parallel, and interactive. The disconnect can make it challenging for educators to engage digital native students effectively.
New skills and interests of digital natives may not be appreciated by digital immigrants, leading to a mismatch between what is taught and what students actually find meaningful or relevant.
Therefore, educators should avoid assuming that their students have certain digital skills by virtue of being digital natives and instead focus on providing instruction and support in developing these skills.
According to Prensky, this divide has affected how students learn in several ways. Digital immigrant educators often find it hard to communicate with digital native students effectively because they speak an "outdated language" compared to the digital language of the students. Information can be misunderstood and difficult to convey.
Digital immigrants tend to use traditional teaching methods that may not resonate with digital natives who may prefer something faster, parallel, and interactive. The disconnect can make it challenging for educators to engage digital native students effectively.
New skills and interests of digital natives may not be appreciated by digital immigrants, leading to a mismatch between what is taught and what students actually find meaningful or relevant.
The immigrant/native divide emphasizes the need for educators to adapt to better align with what students prefer.
Paul Kirschner argues that being a digital native does not necessarily equal being "digitally literate." In other words, just because someone was born into the digital world doesn't mean they automatically possess the necessary skills to effectively use digital technologies for learning and knowledge. This means that assumptions about digital natives, such as their supposed ease at multitasking or their understanding of technology, might be misguided. Instead, Kirschner says that these skills need to be properly taught so they can be effectively applied.
Therefore, educators should avoid assuming that their students have certain digital skills by virtue of being digital natives and instead focus on providing instruction and support in developing these skills.
Comments
Post a Comment