Understanding the Digital Brain/Native

Ann M. Giralico PearlmanCELT Brown Bag

November 15, 2012

Talk aboutDigital Natives v.s. Digital

ImmigrantsDigital Natives and cognitive learning

memoryCognitive style, receive, analyze, store,

retrieve, and transmit informationChanges in Brain NeuroplasticityDigital Learning preferences

Agenda◦Discussion/Activity the differences

between the digital native and immigrants

◦“Are you a digital native?” activity

◦Discourse on how teaching and learning is different for the digital native – changes to the brain/learning patterns

Critical questions:How has technology effected the digital natives cognitive abilities?◦Do digital natives learn differently than the previous generation?

◦What it the relationship between the digital native and technology?

◦Is the “digital brain” different?◦How does this effect students’ ability to learn in a traditional college classroom?

Digital Generation “Increasingly, today’s children are

immersed in electronic and visual media. They use digital technology transparently, without thinking about it, marveling at it, or wondering about how it works. This is the first generation that has evermastered the tools essential to society before the older generation. They are the digital generation”. (Jukes, 15)

Digital Natives:Have grown up with digital bombardmentAre interactive users/not passive viewersSaid to be able to Multitask and have better

switching abilitiesAges range from12 to 31Prefer random access and parallel cognitive

processing

Video: Are You a Digital Native or immigrant?

ActivityAre you a digital native?

Activity #11. Create a list of the types of technology (traditional

and new media) you use daily - before noon, make note of how many technologies you use singularly or simultaneously.

2. Share this information in groups of two or three.Activity 2

1. “Where would you turn” You are in the middle of a research project and you need some information, what medium would you use to gather the info?

Report Out◦ Whole group discussion – are you a digital native or

immigrant? Link to Middle Ages Tech Support

Changes to cognitive learning (brain and learning patterns)

Changes to cognitive learning (brain and learning patterns)

How do we teach the digital native?

How do we as educators (digital immigrant) teach non-linear learners digital natives)?

How will the students: know and be able to do what they are being taught?

The Digital Generation:How do they problem solve with

instant access?

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

Questions?