I am very much a digital native. Even though I am at the older end of the
digital natives, nearly all of the descriptions and uses of technology described
in our readings ring true. I am on some sort of electronic device for most of
my waking hours, have multiple devices that I use daily, am an early adopter of
almost all current popular social media sites, have a number of online-only
friends, rarely make telephone calls, and produce a podcast with my husband. I
was heartbroken when I found out Google Reader was going away because that is
how I start and end every day (I have since switched to Feedly). For most of
these tools, I use them for personal and professional reasons. My colleagues at the library are constantly
amazed that I can pick up any device and figure it out within minutes (and
annoyed that I customize the appearance to my liking at every workstation I
use). So most of the information in the readings wasn’t really new to me,
though I was fascinated by the physical changes this produces as outlined on
the Digital Natives Map.
That being said, I see the digital divide in action every
day at the library. Prensky (2006) states that, “technology changes very
quickly and the Natives are programmed to – and want to – keep up with it,”
while “to Digital Immigrants, some of these new norms and behaviors (…) will
seem really strange” or “forever remain out of reach and impossible to master”
for them. (p. 51) When I am teaching a teenager how to use a database to find
information or how to download library books on their tablet, the whole process
tends to go much more smoothly than when I am teaching a retiree the same
things. I even find it difficult to describe some things to digital immigrants
that are just so second nature to me and a part of my thought patterns. I really
think a large part of the difficulty for digital immigrants stems from not just
the digital language barrier, but from a sort of fear, sometimes because they
are afraid to make an irreparable mistake. Digital natives, on the other hand,
know that there’s almost nothing you can do on a device that can’t be undone
and so feel free to play around and experiment with any new tool that comes
along and mold it to their needs. It seems to me that one of the most important
things a teacher can do now for students is teach them how to use that innate playfulness
to educate themselves.
Digital Natives Map: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/extras/digital_native.html
Prensky, M. (2006). The emerging online life of a digital native. "Don't bother me Mom, I'm learning!": how computer and video games are preparing your kids for twenty-first century success and how you can help! (pp. 40-51). St. Paul, Minn.: Paragon House.
