Presentation on Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

By: Lilia Bernal, Kristen Gaetano, Ragen Holly, Amanda Martinez, Andrea

Waughtel, and Zehra Syed

Digital Natives ₪N-[for Net]-gen or D-[for digital]–gen

₪Students today all are “Native speakers”

₪They are described as living lives immersed in technology, “surrounded by and using

computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the

other toys and tools of the digital age”

Digital Immigrants

₪ Prensky for BIG change

₪ Sue Bennett, Karl Maton and Lisa Kervin (professors at a university in Australia) all

believe there is a need for more “theoretically informed research.”

Attention Spans₪ Prensky (2001): attention spans

are not necessarily shorter. The are just not interested.

₪ Example: Study – 5 year olds and TV.

₪ Carlson (2005): Teachers “learn to accept divided attention spans”

₪ Example: Story- student checking emails

Skills lost…₪ Prensky (2001):

₪Loss of self reflection₪New skills attained₪ Sheffield (2007):

₪“educators incorporate the gifted students’ talents and their digital culture, then the goal of

educating truly literate citizens is feasible.”₪Adds opportunities

NeuroplasticityPlasticity, or neuroplasticity, is the lifelong ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences. As we learn, we acquire new knowledge and skills through instruction or experience. In order to learn or memorize a fact or skill, there must be persistent functional changes in the brain that represent the new knowledge. The ability of the brain to change with learning is what is known as neuroplasticity.

(chudler 2009)

Brain Malleability(Prensky 2001)

₪ Research from social psychology₪ Process same, thoughts different --> Process

different, thoughts different₪ Based on the input received (environment &

culture)₪ DI - linear DN - parallel

₪ DN strengths₪ Visual images represent three-dimensional₪ Multidimensional visual-spatial skills₪ Inductive discovery : specifics -->

generalization/system₪ Attentional deployment : multi-tasking

₪ Faster response to stimuli

Some basics on how the brain learns… (Stansbury 2009- Scientific Learning Corp)

₪ Critical Tasks₪Frequency and Intensity₪ Appropriate skill level

₪ Skills should be ‘Cross-trained’ – MEANINGFUL!₪ Rewards student progress

₪ Safe environment₪ Suitable content

It’s not all fun and games…

₪ Today, there are many people who criticize games incorporated in lessons because they feel its more game-based than actually being beneficial for the

learner. ₪ However, research indicates that its not because

game-based learning is faulty, but because the games in fact are badly designed. “There is a great deal of evidence that children’s learning games that are well designed do produce learning, and lots of it

— by and while engaging kids” (Prensky 2001).₪ Games capture their attention and make learning

happen. Instead of watching countless hours of television they’ll be getting the practice they need in school as well as their fun! Technology needs to

be used.

References₪ Prensky, 2001₪ Stansbury, July 2009

(http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?print&i=59792)

₪ Carlson, October 2005 (https://www.msmc.la.edu/include/learning_resources/todays_learner/The_Net_Generation.pdf)

₪ Sheffield, 2007 (http://www.ncsu.edu/project/meridian/sum2007/gifted/meridian_summer102007.pdf)

₪ Chudler, 2009 (http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)

₪ Sue Bennett, Karl Maton and Lisa Kervin, 2008 (http://www.cheeps.com/karlmaton/pdf/bjet.pdf)