21 Comments so far

1.    Bob Sprankle on July 17, 2006 1:43 pm

   Digital Natives bring the “how to” skills. They’re the ones who are going to bail out the teacher when s/he doesn’t know where the file went! Or… a faster way to do something. Or even, how to work our cell phones!

   They also bring the understanding that the digital world is ubiquitous. In other words, “Digital Immigrants” still view the digital world as something “separate” from *real life*. The natives don’t view it this way. They’ve been raised with the digital world as being a constant presence, whereas, we grew up without a personal computer, cell phone, remote control, etc. We (immigrants) think that when we step away from a computer screen, that world ceases to exist. Digital Natives don’t see it this way, and in fact take that world with them on their cell phones (with text messaging, for instance), iPods, Sony PSPs, etc. They will be ready for the ever increasing synthesis of the “online world” with the world we call “real life”. In the near future, people will work “virtually” with colleagues as much, if not more, than they do in “real space”. Digital Natives understand that their interactions online is *as real* as their interactions in “real space”. Digital Immigrants don’t yet value online interactions in the same way as “real space” interactions and have a hard time understanding why kids spend hours on IM.

   It’s okay. The Digital Natives are patient. They know that the technology isn’t going anywhere. Sooner or later, we Digital Immigrants will “get it”.

   So, if you even remotely accept or believe what I wrote above, then the role of the Digital Immigrant teacher becomes even more of an imperative. If the world is in fact evolving in this way, the purpose of the teachers is to bring along all the “good stuff from the *old country*”. It is the teachers’ jobs to help guide students in ethical and moral conduct on the Internet; to continue to teach important skills, such as writing–that are even more important now that students are publishing to a worldwide audience; and even to teach rules of safety that have perhaps also evolved in this changing environment. The teachers have an incredible opportunity: the Digital Natives are shouting out, loud and clear, what it is that motivates, excites, and engages them. All we have to do is connect it with the curriculum in a meaningful way. Students are basically telling us what they need to succeed in this world where learning, interests, interactions, and even brains have drastically changed from when we were their age. They are even willing and able to lead the way. We Digital Immigrants have to just be smart enough to listen, be willing to relinquish the illusion of “power”, and follow them — with our suitcases packed full with guidance and knowledge from “the old country”.

2.    Michael Richards on July 17, 2006 4:01 pm

   Digital Natives bring an understanding of “it’s there and let’s use it” attitude to technology. Mostly because they don’t know any other way when it comes to technology. Think about the advances this generation has just taken for granted (cell phones, cable tv, computers, etc) that other generations have watched develop from the beginning. This generation adopts these tools much quicker because they don’t have biases or preconceived notions that would lead to failure. If it doesn’t work they discard it or find a better tool that works. Natives generally don’t have as much to lose if their adoption of something new fails unlike Immigrants who might have more on the line.

   Digital immigrants bring a “if it is good we’ll use it but we’re going to proceed with caution” approach to technology. Immigrants by nature proceed with caution based on past results so quick adoption is not in their nature. Being an immigrant to technology is not bad if you’re willing to acknowledge that the natives have their role in society. In a sense they’re inviting us into their world each day not the other way around.

   Fortunately we need both Natives and Immigrants in society to be successful. Both serve in a checks and balances systems and that is what we need to remember when it comes to technology. A lot of advancements Natives are making now are based on the work done by the Immigrants (boy that sounds like the success of the American Story).

3.    Bill Callahan on July 19, 2006 11:49 am

   Wow. Marc Prensky is promoting quite a radical change in School format. A lot of what he is saying makes sense. Wouldn’t it be a great and wonderful thing to have students become so involved in their own education. They could be deciding what is important to themselves, and that can really make learning so much more meaningful.

   There are a lot of things that need to be done before any of this can really truely happen. At the Middle School level we have been trying for years to get closer to this type of education. Our governments need to make schools accountable for student learning by demanding that we not only assess our students, but to prove mastery has made good teaching difficult.

   If we as a nation want to move towards this type of education, it will take convincing a great many people in powerful political positions. Or teachers will need to just say, this is the correct way to educate, and this is what we are going to do. Kind of like bottom – up leadership.

4.    Deb Arcaro on July 19, 2006 12:31 pm

   Schools are stuck in the 20th century. Students have rushsed into the 21st century. How can schools catch up and provide students with a relevant education? (Marc Prensky)

   This is the question that we as immigrants (educators) need to get society at large, not just the educators asking. Without administers and parents, also immigrants, getting on board with this, the assessment restraints currently placed on educators cannot and will not be changed. Without that change it will be basically impossible to change the style of teaching to value a teacher’s empathy and guidance abilities versus content knowldge or mastery.
   I agree that education of the natives needs us as immigrants to use all the tools available with the kids themselves probably being our most important one. They are ready to lead the process and help us follow along. Our purpose really becomes to share the life lessons we have acquired. These lessons will help quide them through appropriate questioning, ethical issues, etc. that are going to continue to arise as technology evolves. We also have a knowledge of where children are developmental and can guide their interactions as they grow and mature.
   Teaching in any century is about helping students succeed at whatever level they are able to, always encouraging them to push themselves. This will not change with technology. It may even make our success with this goal possible.

5.    Nancy Simpson on July 19, 2006 1:27 pm

   For some reason this article has left me feeling more uneasy than any of the others that we’ve read so far and I’m not sure why. It’s a very strongly worded statement of the need for radical changes in schools if schools do not want to become irrelevent or even worse obsolete. And it’s not just about using the technology that we have available and will have available in the future. Most of us who are here this week are already committed to that. But I think that many of us have had the idea that the technology can and will be used to teach the same old stuff in new, exciting and engaging ways. While that may be true, this article points out that teaching the same old stuff in new ways is not going to cut it. The students will at best put up with it until they can get on with their “real” lives. Schools are going to need to change what they’re teaching as well as how and I think that is what’s making me uneasy. How will we know what students need to learn? How much of what the article calls “legacy knowledge” do students need? I’m a math teacher–how am I supposed to know what content my middle school students will need for a future that none of us can accurately predict? That said, as soon as someone perfects that video game through which my students can learn the content of Algebra 1, bring it on!!

6.    Michelle Dubey on July 19, 2006 1:54 pm

   Listen to the Natives

   This article reminded me of the Adopt or Adapt article where we are reminded that our students are the natives in this digital world and most adults/teachers are immigrants to the digital world.

   I recognize that I am a digital immigrant teaching students who are not. As part of my professional development, I’m going to need to learn to embrace and use the latest technology instead of resisting it. In the upcoming year, I will like to take what the kids know and like to do and use it in my instruction. Also, I never have asked kids what they want to learn. I’ll be asking this question in the first computer classes.

   What assets do natives bring to their understanding of technology?

   I feel the natives bring in an opened mind of what is possible. They are not afraid to explore, try new things and to start over.

   What assets do immigrants bring to their understanding of technology?
   I feel the immigrant’s role is to be more of a mentor/coach to the natives. We are older and are role models to our students. They generally respect us and will listen to what we say, so it is important we do not stifle but instead guide them through their digital world.

7.    eric walker on July 19, 2006 2:06 pm

   The first thing I think after reading this article is has this guy ever been in a high school. There are many things he does not understand about high school. Teachers need to have empathy before content. Has he heard about being highly qualified? Cell phones used for cheating. Let them use the book. What if a student takes a picture of a math test and sends it to a friend who has the test later in the day or the next day. The students now have a copy of the test and go on line to a help site and get the answers. How does this measure a students ability on those particular skill? I think that the author is an Idealist and puts too much faith in that the student will work to his full potential. He wants individualized learning for the students, but this does not take into account the new restrictions of NCLB or the Maine Learning Results. With the these restrictions content is key, we as educators are expected to be sure that all our students meet standards in many areas. Students in this day and age have trouble focusing so I can see his point in gaming as a learning tool. Students also need to be able to slow down and think through a difficult problem and be a 60 minute kid not a 7 second kid. I see this inability to slow down and process a a reason why America is running short of scientists to do developement and research.

8.    Bob Sprankle on July 19, 2006 2:35 pm

   I wanted to add one last thought to this post…

   When the Maine Laptop initiative first came out, the application iTunes was not included. Mp3’s were seen as EVIL! We instructors argued tirelessly for its inclusion… realizing that audio was ESSENTIAL. We got nowhere. 4 years later, iTunes is *of course* included. Duh! The immigrants finally “get it”. Hopefully, in the area of DOPA, we immigrants are going to “step up the pace” and catch up with what the natives already understand.

9.    Paula Vicenzi on July 19, 2006 3:43 pm

   When I first read the terms ‘digital immigrant” and “digital native” I felt like it was setting up a “us” against “them” situation, the kids vs. the teachers. I think that those of us who are the digital immigrants (teachers) recognize who we are and most are taking courses to learn most about the digital world. Most teachers feel like they are trying to keep up with MTV generation.

   Although I like trying new things in my class, I have sometimes found that when my students had a lot of flexiblilty about using different forms of media for projects, the media actually got in their way. They were too focused on which song or video to include in their project than reading the rubric!!

   Cellphones to use for class use?? I agree with Eric, did the author of the article spend time with kids as they use their cell phones? Who has the time to police the room to make sure that they are not using the phones inapropriately? It is challenging enough to monitor students when they are using their laoptops to make sure that they are on the site that they are supposed to be using for their project and not looking up the words for Wild Thing?!

10.    Susan Weddle on July 19, 2006 3:48 pm

    Inservice training does not provide enough time for teachers to master the new technology. My school offers technology inservice training in the summer and during the school year. The summer classes are great because we have enough time to master the material. However, these are optional classes that teachers are not required to attend. The school year training can be frustrating because they spend an hour or two showing us something and then everyone goes back to teaching without having the time to experiment and learn. This is where the natives have it all over us – they learn everything by trial and error. Unfortunately, adults rarely feel the luxury of time to just “play” – we have assessments, emails, committee meetings, grading, and planning. If I have time to play, my immigrant upbringing takes me to non-technology related activities like knitting or gardening.

    It’s very true that we need to let the students know we need their expertise. Being new to 8th grade in the fall, I’m way behind the learning curve. My students have a year’s experience on the laptop and a native upbringing. I’m planning on using them as much as possible to teach me. We all win because they get to use their laptops more and I get to learn how to use them! I’m not afraid to “laugh at my accent” and I can show them that it’s OK to admit what you don’t know.

    I love the idea of an algebra game where students test at increasingly difficult levels until they have completed the course. I wonder how long it will be before this becomes a reality. Some math books come with software that attempts to do this, but we’re not there yet. What a great motivating tool to let math teach itself. However, I wonder if the students will retain the material after they complete the game. For example, although there are zillions of multiplication practice games on computers, many students never bother to master their math facts even though they play the games. They obviously aren’t motivated to retain the material even though it will make all future years in math easier if they do.

    I totally disagree with the article about the cell phone use – I don’t see it as a positive teaching device. Lessons over the phone?

    Prensky mentions the importance of teachers having empathy for students, which is a critical part of teaching. We can’t forget the importance of personal interaction for modeling people skills. The comment that virtual groups don’t leave anyone out because everyone can find someone in the world to collaborate with troubles me. I worry that social skills are being lost with the shift toward virtual interactions. In-person group work forces students to get along with the pool of peers in their class, rather than further isolating themselves from their peers. This is where the immigrants can still teach the natives.

11.    Ray Grogan on July 19, 2006 4:01 pm

    Things need to change:

    All of us in the class are here because we know things need to change and we want to be part of the change. We know that if we are not with the wave we will be under the wave. Things are changing slowing, at some point things are going to change fast. We need to be ready to handle the fast change when it comes.

    Mrac Prensky talks about how we have to figure out how to engage students. We need to make sure our teaching methods are close to their entertainment methods.
    When I was in 6th grade I loved when the teacher showed a movie ( i did not have tv). When I show a movie now the kids moan, it is behind the times. When I show them the same thing on streaming video that is cool for a couple times. I am trying to keep up.

    We are going to need more than teachers to buy into this. We will need administrators, legislators, and the public to believe change needs to happen.

12.    Kate Moffat on July 19, 2006 9:20 pm

    “students could learn algebra far more quickly and effectively if instruction were available in game format. Students would need to beat the game to pass the course.”

    Uh, if I explain that one to our high school math teachers they will tell me I’m crazy! What exactly would that classroom look like? Math classrooms right now have no computers, and teachers complain about students downloading games to their calculators. What would students learn about algebra by playing a game? I need more evidence. Yep, I’m thinking just like a digital immigrant!

    I’m not ready to adopt games or cell phones yet, and would need some serious convincing to do so. I’ll keep an open mind, though.

13.    jeromepoulin on July 19, 2006 9:52 pm

    The digital natives bring the skills necessary to survive in in the digital 21st century. They are more than willing to go “where no man has gone before” showing no inhabitions. They should definitely be involved in curriculum development since they are primary stackholders.

    We as digital immigrants will always have “one foot in the past”. (after this week I think I have more than one foot in the past). I think that we all realize that we will always be immigrants and we will never be able to keep up with the “fluent ” ones. All we can do is “abandon our comfort zone”. Attendance at this class is a step in the right direction, but the students have probably taken several steps this week. We should celebrate the technological aptitude of these students.

    Eventually the number of native teachers will outnumber the immigrants and the whole complexion of public education will change.

14.    janeen Chin on July 19, 2006 11:00 pm

    As a long time experiential educator, I have always listened to my students, building curriculum from their strengths and interests. And now, just as I began to think that I’d have to scrap that kind of thinking due to the predominant influence of testing in ours schools, I get this new understanding and passion for using technology. We need to build curriculum on the strengths and interests of our students like never before because they are the “natives”. As Marc Prensky suggests, students can be a teacher’s best resource.

    This is a fantastic article that addresses that “new landscape” and calls into question all current teaching practices. This is not to say that we need to use technology for everything. It is, after all, a tool. But it’s a very powerful tool that engages students and brings them to a position of learning more efficiently and deeply, so that they can have more time to do things that they want to do.

    Our grandparents would have loved to have had the kind of time saving devices that we take for granted. They would have loved to trot around the globe to visit loved ones or learn about another culture. Isn’t it ridiculous that we should deny this younger generation the same type of “progress”?

    When we ask students for their ideas, ask them how a project relates to what they are doing outside of school, and provide opportunities for them to “level up” as Marc Prensky puts it, we are creating an atmosphere of collaboration that is necessary to prepare our students for the future.

15.    Nancy Talbot on July 19, 2006 11:56 pm

    I loved this article! I love the metaphor that technology is like a second language to us “Digital Immigrants,” but a native language to the “Digital Natives.”

    Prensky says, “Our students are no longer ‘little versions of us.’” If this is true, we truly need to let go of our antiquated ways of teaching and find new ways to reach our students. We also need to take a good hard look at NCLB—it is much more aligned to our old ways of teaching than to our current and future students’ new ways of learning. (Actually, unfortunately, we are not the ones who need to reexamine NCLB, are we?) But can we somehow reshape it? As Michael said today, maybe the many assessments we need to have kids do for NCLB should be assessments of students’ processes for solving problems rather than assessments of students’ content area knowledge .

    I also loved the idea of an algebra course being a game students have to master. Maybe even I could learn about algebra that way!

    Prensky is a very persuasive writer. I think this article is one that should find its way to people’s mailboxes…

16.    alicebarr on July 20, 2006 6:34 am

    This article certainly raises some serious issues about our schools! I think many of you are thinking differently about your teaching practices and how you will look at your students as learners in September. As Bob stated, our job is to guide students in the appropriate ethical and moral manners, as well as advance them in our areas of expertise.

17.    Susan R. Blake on July 20, 2006 9:44 am

    Reflection on “Listen to the Natives”, July 19, 2006:

    I appreciated, understood, and was entertained by Prensky’s coinage “digital native” and “digital immigrant”. However, I am concerned about his thought that turning algebra instruction into a game would make students more vested in the process to beat the game. There are many students who don’t have any desire to play computer games. I believe they would become frustrated with this approach, especially if it was used in all subject areas. Could it be an option or alternative learning tool? Absolutely!

    I certainly plan on taking advantage of my student’s expertise to advance not only my computer skills but also those of their classmates. They are always eager to share their knowledge and help.

18.    Charles McL on July 20, 2006 10:20 am

    I’m a digital imigrant… But I think I have an advantage over the natives. I think I understood the 20th century while I was looking to the 21st century. I am still waiting for those cars that float instead of roll on tires. The wrist video phones are still not here. As much as Prensky wants to believe he knows “students” of today he can never have the the whole reality. He admits this himself. Involving students in their education and classroom design happened when I was in school. The “Loose” classes. My senior english class spent time on linguistics, old english, and playing the eye contact game “killer”. This stuff kept us involved and on task. It made the more mundane objectives easier to take. I guess good teaching is good teaching. Cell phones are a long way from being a viable classroom tool …”yes Mr. Charman I think the school should purchase 417 camera phones”. it may not go over in the section of Maine I work in. Additionally to call home from school my cell works if I leave the main campus and park in the CN Brown driveway if I keep the car on the left side. Prensky hits the nail on the head with his statement “The single most important differentiator between 20th century analog and 21st century digital technology is programmability”. We imigrants and the present natives can not imagine the future very perfectly. Just like I could program the VCR while my parents could not, the students of today see the programming patterns of today and their success will depend upon their adapting to the patterns of tomorrow as the become the imigrants. So for now I will apreciate that “I was born a poor innocent analog child”. The kids can still learn some stuff from analog too -look at podcasting… you have to get the sound to the computer!!

19.    Dick Morrison on July 20, 2006 10:53 am

    After reading article and comments re: article I have many of the same concerns previously stated. Has Prensky been in a high school lately or talked with today’s teachers who are constantly trying to integrate the latest mandates and standards, which are becoming more and more evasive to time available to teach. I know many of teachers in my building are becoming more and more frustrated and many see the technology as just another impediment. Granted many of us digital immigrants and see ourselves being out numbered and out gunned by the ‘natives’, that being said I still have some faith in our youth to think that we listen carefully and constructively we can be assimilated into the culture.
    One last thought: cell phones as a teaching tool – I don’t see it even from a practical sense, I know – I’m probably having a ’senior moment’.

20.    TechIntegration » Listen To The Natives on July 21, 2006 9:34 am

    [...] My Class Blog Comment [...]

21.    Cheryl Oakes on July 22, 2006 2:10 pm

    What a treat to read all your comments about Digital Natives and Immigrants. Once we can name what we are looking at and dealing with, then we are better able to work with it/them. As soon as I read Marc Prensky’s book I was challenged to think of different ways of working with my students and my parents. I needed to find ways to engage them, “when you are able to figure out how to navigate web pages and can name the safety rules, we will go on to Netsmartzkids.org tunes”. I had them hooked. They love the challenge too!
    I am still trying to understand the culture of gaming, Warcraft etc., but if I can understand than a doctor playing a video game will have a minimum of 50% fewer ‘accidents’ while performing surgery, then I will make this make sense. Can’t wait to see how your classrooms look differently in the fall. Just change one thing at a time! Cheryl