Summary of Marc Prensky's “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” Pt. I-II.
Marc Prensky is an American writer and public speaker who specializes in the fields of education and learning. In 2001 he wrote the essay “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” which popularized the terms “Digital Native” – those who grew up with fast, connected computers and media – and “Digital Immigrants” – those who find themselves having to adjust to the new era of technology (“Pt. I” 1-2).
Prensky enters the debate about the decline of education in America with the message that innovation is required by the establishment – the teachers and the institutions. He points out that students have changed drastically since the rapid adaption of technology in the US, and as such the educational institutions are out of touch with the students' needs. He postulates that the sheer amount of time spent consuming entertainment and media on these new electronic platforms have physically changed the “Digital
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Native” brains and thought patterns. Prensky points to new research in neurobiology and psychology which shows us that our brains change throughout life by a process known as neuroplasticity, and that this type of change has a wide range of outcomes for the way we think and express ourselves (“Pt.
II” 2). He further argues that it might even be impossible for learners to revert, and thus the teachers will have to adjust if they wish to remain relevant as we move forward.
One of the problems Prensky identifies is that the older generation does not value the methods by which the younger generation think and learn. In turn, the “Digital Natives” are bored and dissociated from the same material that used to capture students' attentions. Prensky argues that we should update the educational content so as to be more relevant and engaging for the students. He adds that this is not enough however, and emphasizes the need to also create new content that is more relevant to the students' future needs in a world filled with
technology. Prensky acknowledges complaints about lost or declining skills in the younger generation, such as attention spans. He counters with studies that show that children are able to split their focus and absorb information better while multitasking (“Pt. II” 4). Prensky's articles show that we need to embrace technology to address the learning issues. He believes that through making video games that are fun and engaging, yet still educational, we can recapture the attentions of today's learners and reinvigorate the schools and their staff as well. Prensky offers anecdotal and scientific evidence supporting the point that games can aid learning. In one example he shows how his company of game designers assisted in making a complicated subject easier to learn by producing a game that taught the theory as you solved problems (“Pt. I” 4-5). He also points out that this type of learning is already in wide use by other major institutions, such as The US Military and The Department of Defense, and they do not doubt its usefulness (“Pt. II” 6). Whether one agrees that video games are the answer to the problems described in his texts, one cannot deny the relevance of technology and media in education. Prensky's articles can be viewed as a clear challenge to the “Digital Immigrants” to accept and embrace the learning requirements of the “Digital Natives” and the need to come up with new and creative ways of dealing with them.
The Digital Age sparked the booming shift towards the media and entertainment for the past few generations. The current societal paradigm that technology has molded within many first-world, and even some third-world cultures, emphasizes the flourishing bond between the humans and technology. Although the status of the relationship between the public mass and technology has been seemingly ever-changing; it’s clear that the humans are becoming increasingly dependent on technology as it advances. To elaborate, as society advances, technology will follow, and the production of new machinery will eventually replace today’s conventional products. The essay, Are Too Many People Going to College, written by Charles Murray, touches on this subject and notions the possibility of the Internet taking over physical learning-institutions. With the rapid growth of technology, online learning will replace present conventional learning-institutions because of the current state of education,
In earlier times, the acquisition and spreading of knowledge was not used to improve society. Instead it was used to have control and to exclude certain groups. As one could imagine, there needed to be a change in the way that the education system was set up. In her essay, “Project Classroom Makeover”, Cathy Davidson discusses how the “one size fits all” model of learning hinders students from learning in a new and modernized way. She suggests the notion that using technology to teach and learn can be effective in many ways. Davidson shows that using technology presents the opportunity for a traditional classroom to become more inclusive and creative. The “democratization of knowledge” is the improvement and modernization of how information is taught and learned. Having a modernized and advanced learning system is a vital point for students because they gain insight and experience with what is considered a society dominated by advanced technology. Technology has become a dominant resource in the 21st century which makes it a relevant and essential factor needed to succeed in the world of education and
The author claims that the working of a human brain is deeply affected by the technological advances of the current age. Closely administered behavior of Digital Natives reveals that they have sharper cognitive skills as compared to the Digital Immigrants of the previous generation. She begins by quoting Palfrey and Gasser as her counter-argument, who acknowledge the difference between the current and previous generations, thus: “These kids are different. They study, work, write and interact with each other in ways that are very different from the ways that you di...
In this text, the author explores the role that technology currently plays in schools and in education in general, as well as future consequences that will occur depending on whether society continues to insist on a type of education that is relatively lacking in technology or decides to embrace the options available whole-heartedly. There are both gains...
It is no more pertinent than today to acknowledge that students live in a technology driven world where information and communication technologies are integrated into everyday situations (QSA, 2007). Prensky, 2001 suggests that it is now clear that as a result of the abundant technological environment and students’ substantial level of interaction with it, that today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors. With this in mind, it is crucial that as a future educator, I bring to the classroom new and innovative ways of teaching and learning in order to motivate and interest these ‘digital natives’ (Halat, 2008).
In higher education, traditional students are characterized as 18-22 in age, majority Caucasian, full-time and interested extra-curricular activities (Falk & Blaylock, 2010). Today’s undergraduate students are classified as “digital natives,” because of their advanced exposure to the Internet, social media and other technology since birth (Liang 2010). The digital natives who started their undergraduate education in fall 2013 grew up when PCs, email, text messages, DVDs, smartphones, and the Internet already existed (Levine & Dean, 2013). Google, file sharing, Skype, YouTube, and Facebook existed by the time digital natives entered middle school, they were introduced to the iPhone before high school, and they in college they expect to communicate
The author states “new media allow for a degree of freedom and autonomy for youth that is less apparent in the classroom setting” (Al, 170) Information on the internet theoretically provides more educational time for Generation Y. Instead of the basic subjects in school, the internet can be tailored towards any child's learning desire. Technology allows research in subjects that never would’ve been thought of years previously. The internet is bestowing Generation Y with many educational opportunities, and the vast majority of them aren’t taking it for
In Renee Wilson’s article, “In Defence of the iGeneration” (2013), she explores her belief of the iGeneration being the smartest generation yet. Through the use of many anecdotes, Wilson reflects on her experiences of teaching the iGeneration and their ability to ignore negative criticism and still show their full potential. In her article, Wilson discusses the iGeneration’s reliance on technology and social media; however, she does not engage the disadvantages of technology, in particular laptops in the classroom, which, as I argue here, is in need of more study. In this essay, I argue that the use of laptops by students in a university classroom is distracting not only to the student, but also to surrounding students. Inevitably, multitasking and distractions in the classroom will result in a decline in academic performance.
What will it take for Americans to realize that our education system is broken? I am reminded of a song, the answer to this question is simply blowing in the wind. It is obvious that an educational reform is in need. Neil Postman would agree that the times, they are a chagin’. With new technology comes new learning methods. In his essay “Television as Teacher,” Postman focusses on technologic advancements and their place in the classroom. We as Americans strive to be the best we can possibly be. This means that we need to provide our cities with the best education possible. This means conforming with technological advancements.
There is always a theme to every conversation and any piece of writing. Theme is a message from the author of the piece. It is the main idea. I read an essay written by Marc Prensky called “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants”. The main idea of the essay is that the young generation today are the digital natives and the older people are the digital immigrants. The essay also mentions how the digital natives may not be able to be taught the traditional way the digital immigrants have been taught because of the technology today. I read another article called “Technology’s Impact on Society in Today’s Generation”. The article is about impacts on the todays generation using technology. Both articles are similar due to today’s generation and their use of technology. They are different because they also talk about other subjects.
Mark Prensky (2001) has coined the phrase Digital Natives versus Digital Immigrants. To put it simply, Digital Natives (DN) have always had the new technology (cell phones, video games, digital music, computers) while Digital Immigrants (DI) have come into these things later on in life and have had to learn “it” above and beyond the old ways they had of doing things. Is there a difference? Children today are born into a digital world and use technology from a young age. The Digital Natives/Learner finds technol...
Through new technologies including computers, World Wide Web, and email, we have seen many changes the way we think about and carry out the process of writing. While most seem to welcome new technologies others like Sven Birkets believe these new technologies are hurting the learning process. He writes, “Many educators say that our students are less and less able to read, or analyze, or write with clarity and purpose. Who can blame the students? Everything they meet with in the world around them gives the signal: That was then, and electronic communications are now (63). This “cyberculture” that we are a part of has truly changed the way we currently live our lives. If we use new technologies to enhance learning and not it’s primary source we as a culture, a “cyberculture” will be able to make even greater advances than previously anticipated. Presently the need for actual printed textbooks is on the decline and is sure to continue as we move further into the future.
Today’s generation is like no other. The nation as a whole has completely evolved from past times, with technology being one of the greatest improvements. Traditionally, schooling takes place in a classroom setting, but, with the many modifications in our world’s system, we are able to assimilate more modern means of education, such as online learning. However, with many changes comes differences and requires adjustments. The online learning system has proven to be just as effective as traditional learning, with some minor differences, however, nothing of great significance. A few of those insignificant differences include online learning being convenient, especially for the non-traditional students,
Vision Statement: My vision is to ensure that every student gains the acceptable knowledge to understand and learn the concepts of what education has to offer. Within this context I perceive integrating technology as a tool that will expand learning abilities. Therefore, my vision is to provide instructional technology skills into the curriculum. As a follower of the 21st Century Framework I will set into the standards of education the 21st Century themes, the mastery of core subjects, learning and innovation skills, information media and technology skills along with life and career skills to ensure that every student masters these skills. Stimulating an academic environment that is dedicated to support and enhance student’s commitment to today’s digital world will promote success.
Imagine someone born in the early 1900’s entering a modern-day classroom. They would likely be confused as to what televisions, computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices are. It is also likely that they would be overwhelmed by the instant access to information that the internet provides. Digital media has become a large part of people’s everyday lives especially with the rise of digital media in classrooms. Digital media is growing so rapidly that people who are not adapting to this shift in culture are falling behind and becoming victims of the “digital divide”, this is leaving people misinformed. Digital media has a large effect on the way that people communicate, this is especially evident in the way that students interact with