Marc Prensky, in the article, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, proposes that educators should bend over backwards and revamp the educational system with methods like educational video games to fully accommodate students who only speak and understand the so-called digital language as a result of growing up in the digital age. As a person who grew up around the beginning of the digital age, I disagree. Technology must not replace natural human development in the real world.

Obviously, digital technology can do things for you so you don’t need to do it yourself. This is great for saving the time of talented, hard-working people. However, it’s a big problem for the younger people who never learned to function without it in the first place. In this case, technology practically creates what I think is a learning disability, not a different language. Then technology presents an opportunity, or a trap, for people now and in the future to never become someone who will do something with their life. I see that as a big problem.

The new language of the digital age is attractive to the lowest common denominator because it requires such minimal effort. When so much is done for you, what reason do you have to develop abilities such as the use of correct spelling and grammar when spellchecker will fix everything for you? This attitude of  “Why bother learning?” becomes all encompassing. These digital native kids often fail to appreciate the value of their own hard work. So as adults, they’ll likely be very unreliable. The digital immigrants of earlier generations work hard to assimilate into the new culture of technology, but the digital natives are cutting themselves off from the knowledge and skills of the past. The sad reality is, the majority seldom use technology to improve their selves intellectually as the older generations would hope.

Almost all I see from my peers is hours spent on social network narcissism and viewing humor sites; nothing cool like researching the legends of the careers they’re interested in, finding interesting art, learning about ancient civilizations, looking up the latest scientific discoveries, reading inspirational business blogs, or reading news from other countries. The kids are missing out because they generally don’t learn to think and search that way. These kids coddled by technology throughout their development will not become the geniuses of older generations with the brilliance to design and create the websites, movies, music, computers, and video game platforms that they love and want. The digital immigrants/bibliographic natives, with their imaginations and work ethics from the pre-digital days plus their use of progressive technology to supplement their causes are the winners.

Discovery Conference Centre uses caring and innovative human minds along with technology to help you optimize the efforts of yourself and your business.

Posted by Laura Gros