The argument of learners as digital natives and educators is one that is certainly valid. Speaking from the point of view of a digital immigrant wanting to be an educator, I know I must adapt and learn to speak the language and thinking mannerisms of the digital native.
Mr. Prensky makes several valid points in his articles. Today’s students do think and process information differently. They are used to receiving information really fast…immediately. Whereas, I would go to the library for information on a subject and possibly spend endless hours researching different books, journals, etc. for a project, a digital native would immediately go the Internet, spend half the time researching the same subject and probably have more current information. This, in my opinion, is natural instinct for the digital native.
Digital immigrant educators must accept the fact that students learn differently today. The entire learning environment, culture has rapidly changed in the last decade. Students spend more time in front of the television than reading a book. Methods that worked years ago are no longer valid. Some of the older methods may not even hold the digital natives attention because they find it slow and boring. Methods must be adjusted, the digital native will not adapt to the digital immigrants outdated methods. In my opinion, the best thing for the digital immigrant educators to do is to integrate and interact with the digital native students. In other words, take advantage of their technological knowledge. Let the students be an integral part of implementing the new language, methods and technology into the classroom. I’m not saying let the students take over the classroom, but learn from them what interests them, what methods hold their attention so that your content/concept can be learned faster…while at the same time, teaching the digital native good thinking skills.
Now, the creation of “edutainment”, I’m not so sure I agree with this idea. Video games are great, but they are just that…..games. I understand bringing the “mountain to Mohammed” but sometimes the mountain is too big to conquer and “Mohammed” may misuse the “mountain.” By this I mean, the digital native can get more caught up in playing the game rather than retaining the concept or content that the game is intended to teach.
As far as digital immigrants and digital natives thinking differently, I agree with that concept. However, I do not think it is because our brains are different. I think it is because of our life experiences and cultural environment. The ins and outs and goings on of the world of the digital native today is totally different than that of the world in which the digital immigrant was raised and educated.
Mr. Prensky, also, makes the point that the digital native has lost the ability to reflect…learn from experience. It is not that they do not reflect but life is so fast paced sometime there is just not time to reflect. It is up to the digital immigrant educator to figure out ways to implement reflection and critical thinking in their criteria. The lessons must be interesting enough to hold the digital natives attention but at the same time cover the concept in a way that it can be taught and learned quickly.