"Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" for 2/18

In Marc Prensky's article, "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants," he gives new language and meaning to the growing differences between the old country and the new country. Children have changed radically, a growing normality throughout schools and houses. Society has changed so much that our parents did not grow up in the same way that we have. It is hard for them to understand us, and it is hard for us to understand them. The other day my mom wanted me to help her put pictures on the computer so she could send them to her parents. I told her how to do it slowly over the phone because I wanted her to be able to do it herself. Needless to say, she did something wrong and some how the pictures were erased. I was so frustrated with her because she didn't do it right, but my frustration shouldn't be because she didn't grow up with the skills to know how to do something like that. It is a very different world today than it was back then, and both the parents and the children compromise to see that. It is when you get to your grandparents that you have a problem.
Prensky talks about the change that has taken place as being a "singularity," defining this has being "an event which changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back." He says that the singularity that has taken place in society today is the arrival of digital technology. There is no doubt that the ever changing and advancement of technology has caused generation gaps to become even bigger. I have to admit that I can't even keep up with the new and growing technology. You cannot teach children the same way that you taught children back then. Childrens brains are different because of what they have been exposed to; learning patterns have changed, as did teaching styles and curriculum. Our generation is known as the "Digital Natives." "The 'native speakers' of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet." People who are older and did not grow up being exposed to the growing technologies are known as "Digital Immigrants." When Prensky puts it into meaning like that, you can't help but agree with him. People talk about the gap between technologically advanced children and their parents who don't even know how to turn on their cell phones, but never in such terms. Our generation thrives off of knowing this quickly. We want instant gratification. Cell phones are not used for making calls anymore. Text messages have taken the place of something that gave us information quick, even more quickly.
Obviously the times have changed. Schools have changed dramatically. Computers fill classrooms and learning is accomadating to everyone. Digital Immigrants have to learn how to teach in different styles. Children learn extremely differently, and Digital Immigrants have to accomodate to the changing times. Everything that Prensky was saying makes sense to me. It is cut and dry. You see these things, but Prensky is putting it into terms that you can understand.