Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants

This generation of student’s today who are in schools are a lot different than the student’s that I went to school with in regards to how they learn best and the use of technology in the classroom. Children of this generation are very hands on and have been involved with some sort of technology since very early on in their lives. “Today’s teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students” (Presnky 2001). The challenge for teachers who will soon teach these children is trying to keep up to date with them and find a common ground to relate to. The teachers have to keep in mind, engaging them in something that they do and something that they are good at is critical.
I consider myself to be a Digital Immigrant. I do feel like I have some Digital Native qualities and do know my way around a computer and other technological things including cell phones and iPods. I graduated high school in 1995 and the use of computers other than word processing was just starting to take off. As the technology boom proceeded I learned more and got more comfortable around computers and other devices. I think of myself to be more immigrant than native because of my limited knowledge of the latest technology language, limited experience on sites such as Face book and My Space, and the way I was taught in the classroom. We were not allowed to have or to use technology devices other than calculators in the classroom, especially not when the teacher was lecturing or teaching.
In Marc Prensky’s article Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant, he states “Research by Social Psychologists shows that people who grow up in different cultures do not just think about different things, they actually think differently”. The children of today are being taught differently starting in elementary schools with the use of Smart Boards and the internet. With the use of tools like these, the way they think and reflect on certain material is going to be different than generations past due to the delivery of the material. My own experience of the use of technology in the classroom has been good and increased through the years. It has steadily raised going from basic typing and word processing in middle and high school to using Blackboard in college, emailing, internet, and power point lectures in class. Being a visual learner, the added use of technology in the classroom has expanded my learning and kept me engaged.
Reading the articles by Marc Prensky has opened my eyes to the change in learning style and language regarding the use of technology in the classroom. “Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system designed to teach” (Prensky 2001). The growth of technology and its use by children of this generation has changed the way information needs to be taught in the classroom. The teacher needs to become familiar with not only the latest ways to use technology in teaching but also the language in which the information is presented to the students. I always thought I would incorporate technology into my classroom, but after reading these articles I realize I not only need to become more familiar with the latest functions and available technological resources, I also need to expand my vocabulary and get to know what is in and what is out with these kids. I plan on incorporating many uses of technology into my classroom, for example power point presentations with pictures, music, and stories, and having hands on assignments where the students can demonstrate their ability using what they know and what they have learned. This way I also get to use multiple modalities relaying what I am teaching and students can become proficient in more than one learning style.

My First Post

My name is Tony Swerdlik.

I want to teach high school math and language arts.

My favorite animal is the elephant.