According to Marc Prensky, digital natives are the children and students who use technology on an every day basis and is incorporated in their lives. Digital Immigrants are the opposite of them: they are learning to adapt to technology. This concept changes the teachers' roles because we have to do more than stand up there and teach. We are responsible to engage these students at their level, in their language. To engage these digital natives, we need to adjust our curriculum and add in technology in order for the students to learn. I like the way Marc Prensky puts it- "learning new ways to do old stuff." In Jr. High, I remember learning about history through the game Oregon Trail and taking reading tests through a game. Playing those games did not seem like learning at all!
Is there a solution for digital immigrant teachers? Yes!
1. Understand that there IS a change in how children learn today.
2. Take classes to see what's out there that we are able to incorporate into the lesson plans. Don't want to take classes? Just ask the students!
Easier said than done. However, if children are our future, shouldn't we do our best to engage and educate them?
Very nice commentary. I love the new background, too! :)
ReplyDeleteI, too, love the background, Joan. Your blog is informative and evidences your understanding of the needs of 21st century learners.
ReplyDeleteI too agree that the biggest step in integrating technology as digital immigrants is accepting that we are immigrants and recognizing that the natives need to learn differently than we do.
ReplyDeleteJoan, I like your comment: "if children are our future, shouldn't we do our best to engage and educate them?"
ReplyDeleteGood point and this thought will help us, as Digital Immigrants, tailor lessons to our students, Digital Natives.
I think one of the problems is that many teachers do not recognize that their is a difference in the way that students learn today, as you aptly mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, you are so technologically advanced that I think of you as being more of a digital native yourself. :)
Well said, Joan! I have to partially disagree with what Vikki said about teachers not recognizing the difference. For years teachers have known that the movement for STEM was growing, yet they did nothing (not all, but a startling majority) to improve their math skills. My mother has made a point of teaching a few developmental math classes each semester in addition to her college level courses. It almost always seems to go back to elementary teachers who would say "that's not important to know." and be less than enthusiastic about math. The ones who complain about the rigors of math are the teachers in her courses. I'm not blasting teachers though - math, and now technology, can be scary. It takes a great person to admit they must learn and take that action to do so. By gathering as a teaching community and organizing group learning sessions, I hope that we can create a society of educators to be the finest in the world. It all starts with us - we must be open and willing, rather than say "it's too hard" and turn the other way.
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