Digital Natives Digital Immigrants

First of all, what an excellent connection with the title. The correlation with immigrants and natives just makes it so clear.

I agree to some extent with Prensky’s points on the need to confront the issue of Digital Immigrants not adapting to the needs of Digital Natives. He argues through his piece that “Today’s teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students.”

Still, I have to disagree to some level with his argument because some of the technological usage that these “Digital Natives” are using is not serving an educational purpose that will help them move forward in their educational path.

Being involved with the Providence school system through my job I have seen how the usage of technology has affected the performance of students in their classes but also how the schools lack the resources to provide a more digital class environment where students can engage more and feel that they are being understood.

My questions would be:

To what extent are teachers and educators willing to re-adjust their lessons to a more “digital friendly” environment for the benefit of the students?

How many resources such as training, software, computers and so forth would this state be willing to provide?

Lastly, how can the technology teenagers already know and use could be used to engage them more in their educational life?

I am pretty sure there are ways of coming to a middle ground where both parties would be satisfied.

And as Prensky’s says “They will succeed in the long run-and their successes will come that much sooner if their administrators support them.”