Marc Prensky's Article
Our cohort this week had a lively discussion based on this reading. More specifically, it wasn't the differences and challenges between teacher (Digital Immigrant for the most part) and Digital Native (i.e. student) but rather between those of us who are self-actualized Digital Immigrants and our démodé (it was the most eloquent term I could come up with) colleagues. After reading the article, I had to submit a reflection and using my blog as well as our cohort's discussion board to communicate it. It read:
The article by Prensky struck a chord with me. On the pedagogical level, throughout this entire program it has been determined through research studies that technology has a positive impact on strengthening literacy and most effective when it is supported by the leadership of the school, is implemented as part of the school wide vision and is integrated in all content areas of the curriculum. But through our discussions we have come to realize that at this stage of re-tooling education - and I point out that most of the articles we read are from the first half of the first decade of the 21st century - for many of us this is a pie-in-the-sky aspiration. For many of us who are self-actualized Digital Immigrants, by way of as Prensky (2001) points out "have become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology" (p.1), our struggles lie not so much in the classroom between teacher and student, but rather between the majority of Digital Immigrant (not self-actualized I would venture, but rather identified by others) instructors whose digital "accent" they deny, whose outdated language remains status quo, who disregard the Natives' skills of processing information, who are firm in their belief that learners now are the same as when they were students therefore no change in methodology is warranted, and as stated in the article "spend most of their time grousing". I would extend this behavior by these people as being directed more towards their forward-thinking colleagues rather than their pupils. As we enter the second decade of this century, how can those of us identified as pioneers, trailblazers and agitators of the set system come forward from the shadows of our classrooms and see our technologically-integrated endeavors as valid, achievement-producing instruction? On the personal level, I am not in a system-wide approach and have had to fend off my research-based instructional use and implementation of technology in the classroom to the point where my "free spirit" ways are attacked vehemently and it is I who have to mollify those offended by my practices? How can it be explained that the technology boat has come and gone to this population of educators who as Prensky states, "have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students" (p.4)? Could the answer be that as older teachers are replaced with Digital Native teachers, it won't be an issue of whether or not technology will replace teachers, but rather teachers who teach with technology - Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives alike - will?
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.
