Marc Pensky classified technology using individuals into two
groups: digital natives and digital immigrants. Digital natives are young people,
born after 1980 and grew up using all the interactive technology available.
Digital immigrants are older adults who are learning later in life how to use
all the technologies of today. By Pensky’s
definition I should be considered a digital native, by birth rights I suppose,
having been born in 1985, however, as the introduction of new technologies
continue to surface, I often feel more like a digital immigrant. In today’s
society, children are confident in their ability to use technology. They often
seem comfortable using technology because it has been such a significant part
of their lives since birth. Integrating technology into the classroom seems
logical and necessary since most children have a well-established preexisting knowledge
of technology and value their multi-media talents. Digital immigrants, or those of us like
myself who are a combination of both worlds, may not have such a well-rounded preexisting
knowledge. When digital immigrants become the teachers of digital natives are
we doomed to be subject to digital disconnect?
Digital disconnect is a term referring to the way
technologically savvy students perceive their teachers, as slow by
comparison. According to the textbook, “30%
of students see smartphones and 36% see mp3 players as essential for a 21st
century classroom, which is double the number of teachers and administrators
who see those tools as key to school learning” (p40) Students are voicing their wants
and needs for technology in the classroom. Students will be more engaged in
learning when they have access to learning tools that interest them and fit their
generational upbringing. As technology integrates into more classrooms, it is likely, that teachers will apply student-centered learning more frequently. It is important to me, as a future teacher, that my future students do not feel disconnected from me, digitally or otherwise. I look forward to implementing my student-centered teaching philosophy and bridging any digital disconnect we may have.
Resources:
Maloy, R., O’Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Lmmatz728. (2014, September 5). Technology in School. ToonDoo. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://www.toondoo.com/MyToondoo.toon
Great ToonDoo to enhance the content of your post - they are fun to create...and even students do well re-creating their own perspective of knowledge they have gained. Your question about the digital disconnect as a gap between immigrants and natives in the classroom grows is relevant to yesterday's and today's gap. I hope the future gap is smaller, but it does take effort on the part of adults to keep informed and to attempt to use. Sometimes all it takes is honest conversation between the generations , so the ever importance of good relationships.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of affluence will always undoubtedly maintain a gap but that is all the more reason for classrooms to have and teachers to effectively use technology - not as the primary focus, but as that ubiquitous tool that we all come to expect in our everyday world.
Enjoying your reflective thoughts - hope you are too!