Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant

Here is a little video I made Xtranormal.  It’s a hypothetical situation between a student and his teacher set in the student’s hyperactive mind.

Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant
by: roestewa

Digital Variance

The digital native.  A new way to describe those that have been raised and exposed to social and connective technologies first hand.  Those that have seen them not only as a typical part of life but also a language of life.  So that makes me an immigrant?

I have tried to wrap my head around the idea that I might have been passed finally generationally.  It is difficult for myself to believe that I have now handed the torch to this new digital native.  I am now, and forever will be a digital immigrant. The social abilities and infrastructures were simply not around when I was growing up.  I didn’t even own a cell phone in high school.  How can I be surprised that I am no longer in the front running for tech savviness?

I think the hardest pill to swallow—and what typically separates any adolescent and adult—is absents of time.  Time is what, for the most part, gives teens the ability to not only understand a certain technology but to own it as well.  Many teens have endless amounts of time for many technologies and they devour them.  Whereas I simply try to entertain myself with coming technologies while never having the ability to master them because of my now boring adult responsibilities.  How awful.

I tend to notice this trend many times with one specific technological realm:  gaming.  I have decided no matter how hard I try I can never be any better than that nine-year-old boy that not only plays StrarCraft II but lives StarCraft II.  I cannot compete.  I can no longer master things as the younger generation can.  I do not have the time. 

Also, it’s important to note that the stepping stone for the coming generation is not Super Mario, its Call of Duty—the sheer difference in hand eye coordination and virtual realm awareness is shocking.  And it doesn’t end with just video games; it’s all technologies.  Johnny’s first phone was an iPhone.  My first phone was a Sport Illustrated football phone.   Because of this Johnny has a head start in digital knowledge.  I cannot expect to compete with the adolescent giants of technologies.  I can only hope to utilize their new hyper-multitasking and creative abilities to cypher through new information. 

I hope that I am game.


Robert Stewart

Introduction

Hello,

My name is Robert Stewart.  I am an English Specialist at Options Charter School Noblesville.  My line of work requires me to manage, assess, and understand the students in my classroom.  To be successful in this field one requires patience and perseverance.  I work with mostly underprivileged or conflicted teenagers.  It can be troubling but it is fulfilling.

Before teaching I viewed technology as a great new tool that could help reach the minds and spirits of younger folk.  Perhaps it would bring certain students along that would never have been able to maintain the monotonous pace of standardized teaching.  I even viewed the thought of new technology as fun!

Now after teaching for roughly two years I have become a little more hesitant to push new technologies into the classroom until they are more full proof.  Every new technology brings challenges.  The risk/reward for every new implementation needs to be measured carefully.  I, frankly, have had some bad experiences.

All of this aside, I still do love to see technology work in the classroom.  So many elements of these new electronics can help students advance in ways we had never thought possible. The potential for education with new techs is endless, and  I still want to be along for the ride.

Robert Stewart