Hello
Ok first I would like to apologise that it took me more than a week to write this week’s blog.
To tell everyone the truth, this whole UM thingy is a cultural shocked. I just am having difficulties keeping up with the workload.
So without wasting more time let me write down what I have to say about Digital Citizen vs. Digital Immigrants.
I was not very clear with the two terms so I went on net to clarify my ideas. While doing so I come across this article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” by Marc Prensky. {Those interested to read it, plz visit http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf}. It a very interesting article and moreover it helps us understand the two terms based on education aspect.
In the article, Prensky makes it clearly what the two terms mean. {But, in the article digital citizen is substituted with digital natives}.
Digital natives:
“Today’s students … represent the first generations to grow up with this new technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age…Computer games, email, the Internet, cell phones and instant messaging are integral parts of their lives.”
Digital Immigrants:
“Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are, and always will be compared to them, Digital Immigrants.”
I find that the issues rose in the article – students nowadays are different and the changes that nowadays teachers have to face, to be were true.
He points out that the Digital Immigrants who are most likely to be the current teacher are having difficulties coping up with students needs.
“…our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language.”
I do agree with him. During our school experience, I could see that there were some teachers reluctant to use the computers provided. I guess having children who know better than you is quite threatening. Plus I also feel that integrating technology into the classroom is quite a burden. The teachers will have a lot to do. I wonder that if the old system has been doing good and is still is why do we need technology?
Well, the article also points out that is best to stay with the current generation so that the interest in learning will be more. I also feel this is right. I take myself for an example. I actually am amazed with all this hi-tech technology – it makes life fun and easier. But, I have been learning the old way and so far it is doing me good. Sometimes when I just can’t understand this “hi-tech technology” I feel that falling back to the old ways is much better. But, I guess that not having the latest software to my computer is one of the reasons why I prefer the old way. Hehe
Back to the topic…
“Unfortunately, no matter how much the Immigrants may wish it, it is highly unlikely the Digital Natives will go backwards. In the first place, it may be impossible – their brains may already be different. It also flies in the face of everything we know about cultural migration. Kids born into any new culture learn the new language easily, and forcefully resist using the old. Smart adult immigrants accept that they don’t know about their new world and take advantage of their kids to help them learn and integrate. Not-so-smart (or not-so-flexible) immigrants spend most of their time grousing about how good things were in the “old country.”
Yes, he is right again.
I have seen my cousin brothers (they are between Year 6 and Form 1), they will make fun of their teacher if he/she doesn’t know how to use the computer and they will be taking about using the computer to download this and that then later put in their phones….
So, I feel that I prefer to be “smart adults” so that I make learning fun and more lasting for my students.
What I have learnt…
I have a lot to do still and I have to be patient as I learn. Plus I can’t be always complaining, I have to do take hold of things if I want to learn
What I question…
Will I give up when I find that I just can’t stand not having the required software? Hehe but I guess that with the assignments I will never….
Ok first I would like to apologise that it took me more than a week to write this week’s blog.
To tell everyone the truth, this whole UM thingy is a cultural shocked. I just am having difficulties keeping up with the workload.
So without wasting more time let me write down what I have to say about Digital Citizen vs. Digital Immigrants.
I was not very clear with the two terms so I went on net to clarify my ideas. While doing so I come across this article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” by Marc Prensky. {Those interested to read it, plz visit http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf}. It a very interesting article and moreover it helps us understand the two terms based on education aspect.
In the article, Prensky makes it clearly what the two terms mean. {But, in the article digital citizen is substituted with digital natives}.
Digital natives:
“Today’s students … represent the first generations to grow up with this new technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age…Computer games, email, the Internet, cell phones and instant messaging are integral parts of their lives.”
Digital Immigrants:
“Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are, and always will be compared to them, Digital Immigrants.”
I find that the issues rose in the article – students nowadays are different and the changes that nowadays teachers have to face, to be were true.
He points out that the Digital Immigrants who are most likely to be the current teacher are having difficulties coping up with students needs.
“…our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language.”
I do agree with him. During our school experience, I could see that there were some teachers reluctant to use the computers provided. I guess having children who know better than you is quite threatening. Plus I also feel that integrating technology into the classroom is quite a burden. The teachers will have a lot to do. I wonder that if the old system has been doing good and is still is why do we need technology?
Well, the article also points out that is best to stay with the current generation so that the interest in learning will be more. I also feel this is right. I take myself for an example. I actually am amazed with all this hi-tech technology – it makes life fun and easier. But, I have been learning the old way and so far it is doing me good. Sometimes when I just can’t understand this “hi-tech technology” I feel that falling back to the old ways is much better. But, I guess that not having the latest software to my computer is one of the reasons why I prefer the old way. Hehe
Back to the topic…
“Unfortunately, no matter how much the Immigrants may wish it, it is highly unlikely the Digital Natives will go backwards. In the first place, it may be impossible – their brains may already be different. It also flies in the face of everything we know about cultural migration. Kids born into any new culture learn the new language easily, and forcefully resist using the old. Smart adult immigrants accept that they don’t know about their new world and take advantage of their kids to help them learn and integrate. Not-so-smart (or not-so-flexible) immigrants spend most of their time grousing about how good things were in the “old country.”
Yes, he is right again.
I have seen my cousin brothers (they are between Year 6 and Form 1), they will make fun of their teacher if he/she doesn’t know how to use the computer and they will be taking about using the computer to download this and that then later put in their phones….
So, I feel that I prefer to be “smart adults” so that I make learning fun and more lasting for my students.
What I have learnt…
I have a lot to do still and I have to be patient as I learn. Plus I can’t be always complaining, I have to do take hold of things if I want to learn
What I question…
Will I give up when I find that I just can’t stand not having the required software? Hehe but I guess that with the assignments I will never….
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