Digital Natives and Immigrants

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Prensky’s Digital Native/Immigrant Divide:

Marc Prensky has made the terms “digital natives” and “digital immigrants” to categorize people based on how familiar they are with technology. Digital natives are people born into a world with technology and can effortlessly navigate their way through it. Digital immigrants are those who adapted later in life, but still often struggle to keep up with it. 

This divide between the two affects how students learn. Digital natives are more comfortable with technology, benefiting with immediate access to information, multimedia, and interactive platforms. Which can lead to increased engagement and personalized learning experiences. While digital immigrants face more challenges. They don’t have full potential of technology, and they struggle to connect with the digital native students. The divide between the two creates a gap in the teachers expectations for their students, and makes the teaching/learning dynamics difficult to access.

https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf


Kirschner’s Myth Debunking: 

Paul Kirschner offers a counter narrative to some of the myths that comes with Prensky’s ideas. One of the main myths he debunks is the idea that “digital native” is the same as “digitally literate.” Kirschner states that just exposure to technology does not guarantee digital literacy. 

He argues that being born into a time with technology will grant a level of comfort with technology, but doesn’t mean the ability to use it for meaningful or educational purposes. Digital literacy means having skills like digital problem solving, information evaluation, and online etiquette, which are not skills that come with being a digital native.  



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X16306692 



In conclusion, the divide between digital natives and digital immigrants has undoubtedly shaped the educational system. Digital natives grasp of technology can be a powerful asset, but it does not automatically translate into digital literacy. Paul Kirschner’s debunking of this myth is a reminder that educators must adopt a more holistic perspective, recognizing the diversity in their students digital capabilities. Emphasizing digital literacy and not just digital natives ensures a more inclusive and effective learning environment in our digitally driven world.









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