Reading Journal: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants by Marc Prensky
From On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001) © 2001 Marc Prensky
"Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach."
This comment motivates Marc Prensky's essay describing what he calls "digital natives" and "digital immigrants". Maybe it's because this was written in 2001 and the ideas contained in it are now 11 years old, but the essay seems hackneyed. Today his classifications seem too simplistic.
In 2012, there are few people who would fit the description of what Prensky calls a digital immigrant- printing out emails etc. There are 65 years old grandmothers who are perfectly at home communicating with their grandchildren through Skype or reading the latest novel on their Kindles. There are 15 and 16 year-olds who prefer the feel of a real book in their hands rather than using digital readers and who actually prefer to play a real game of football rather than a virtual one. 90% of Americans own a computerized gadget. This number includes 62% of those 75 and older. In today's world, most people fall into a camp that I would prefer to call digitally experienced- dual nationals if you will.
For Prensky's argument (teachers are digital immigrants while students are digital natives) to hold water, we should expect to see a wide chasm between the comfort using technology by students compared with that of teachers. But today this is not the case. Most people entering or already established in the educational profession are not unfamiliar with technology. Granted, there is a difference between computer usage of those 60 and above and those below 60. However, the average age of teachers in the US is 42.5. Most of these people have been using computers for most of their lives. Having feet in both camps (life before wide spread computer use and the present day ubiquitous technology), they are probably better equipped to merge the old with the new.
Prensky states, "Today's average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV)." I think this statement is shameful. He also states:
"Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to “serious” work."
Is this a good thing? Just as those who are, at this late date, still fighting against the digital tsunami, need to adapt and adopt new technology, those he classifies as digital natives need to learn to do serious work. In a few years they will take over from their dual-national parents. Placating students with gaming ill-prepares them for the real world. Most times hard work is involved and it isn't fun.
All in all, I believe educators need to be both realistic and pragmatic in their approach to using technology in the education process. There is no need to abandon ideas that have worked for millennia just because some of today's students don't like reading and listening. Reading, writing, logic, these are important skills. Rather we should use the technology available to enhance learning and performance.
From On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001) © 2001 Marc Prensky
"Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach."
This comment motivates Marc Prensky's essay describing what he calls "digital natives" and "digital immigrants". Maybe it's because this was written in 2001 and the ideas contained in it are now 11 years old, but the essay seems hackneyed. Today his classifications seem too simplistic.
In 2012, there are few people who would fit the description of what Prensky calls a digital immigrant- printing out emails etc. There are 65 years old grandmothers who are perfectly at home communicating with their grandchildren through Skype or reading the latest novel on their Kindles. There are 15 and 16 year-olds who prefer the feel of a real book in their hands rather than using digital readers and who actually prefer to play a real game of football rather than a virtual one. 90% of Americans own a computerized gadget. This number includes 62% of those 75 and older. In today's world, most people fall into a camp that I would prefer to call digitally experienced- dual nationals if you will.
For Prensky's argument (teachers are digital immigrants while students are digital natives) to hold water, we should expect to see a wide chasm between the comfort using technology by students compared with that of teachers. But today this is not the case. Most people entering or already established in the educational profession are not unfamiliar with technology. Granted, there is a difference between computer usage of those 60 and above and those below 60. However, the average age of teachers in the US is 42.5. Most of these people have been using computers for most of their lives. Having feet in both camps (life before wide spread computer use and the present day ubiquitous technology), they are probably better equipped to merge the old with the new.
Prensky states, "Today's average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV)." I think this statement is shameful. He also states:
"Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to “serious” work."
Is this a good thing? Just as those who are, at this late date, still fighting against the digital tsunami, need to adapt and adopt new technology, those he classifies as digital natives need to learn to do serious work. In a few years they will take over from their dual-national parents. Placating students with gaming ill-prepares them for the real world. Most times hard work is involved and it isn't fun.
All in all, I believe educators need to be both realistic and pragmatic in their approach to using technology in the education process. There is no need to abandon ideas that have worked for millennia just because some of today's students don't like reading and listening. Reading, writing, logic, these are important skills. Rather we should use the technology available to enhance learning and performance.
To answer your question about Prensky's statement, is this a good thing? i believe it's not. i think that many times when you get instant gratification and you don't actually have to put any hard work or wait for what you want, you lose appreceation for that. It is harder to truly value something when it comes easily. it makes us not appreciate the effort that people before us had to put to achieve the xact same thing. i feel that is one of the biggest issues "digital natives" face. and it might become an even bigger problem with next generations and the further development of technology.
ReplyDeleteInteresting points. Perhaps, as you say, we need to first pose a question 'what can we adopt from the digital culture and why?'
ReplyDelete