Digital Resident Aliens? Bridging the Divide between Natives and Immigrants

 

Throwback:

 Its December 31, 1983 at 11:59pm and a little boy is born into the world. We will call him "John." He will come to be known as a "Digital Immigrant." According to some, he will be a relic of the past, unable to keep up with the growth of his precious paperback and chalkboard world. 

Fast Forward (Just a minute or two):

Its January 1, 1984 at 12:01am and a little boy is born into the world. We will call him "Neo." He will come to be known as a "Digital Native." He will be a boy steeped in emerging technology, rapid communication and a robust explosion of machine capabilities. Sorry, John. 

This is the mentality that highlights the differences between the generation of people who were brought up in the digital age and are therefore adept at computers and the internet, and the sad saps born prior to the dividing line of 1984 and the explosion of digital technology. 

Some argue digital immigrants will forever be at a technological disadvantage compare the the natives who were immersed in technology since birth. Others argue, it is the digital natives who live at a disadvantage because they live in a world constructed and taught by digital immigrants.

According to Prensky, I am a Digital Native. I grew up in an era where emerging technology was in the front of everyone's mind. From my early formative years, I can recall my school getting its first computers for student use. I can recall shoving a 5.25" floppy disk into the IBM sitting at the desk and watching as the hit game "Oregon Trail" fired up on the green and black screen. My learning experience was shaped by moments like these. I was required to take typing classes in school and learned the dangers of the internet through free AOL promotional internet disks. As a student who was far from affluent, I often found myself having to use community resources to keep up. I visited the library and utilized computers and printers as school began to require it, but I was still taught cursive and how to use the encyclopedia. (We even had a hand-me-down Britannica set at home) I think this diversified my learning experience and made me more of a "resident alien" in the digital world. I would argue that those born after 1992 were closer to being true digital natives. Some of them never had to learn the "old ways." I believe it helped prepare me for the onslaught of digital melding that schools took as I progressed into college later in life. I will forever despise PDF textbooks. I hate pretending that discussion boards or forums replace the conversations and dialogue that can happen in a classroom of people. But, I love that I have been able to continue my education despite being deployed into two compact zones. The incorporation of technology into the learning environment is a true love/hate relationship for me. 

As discussed by Kirschner, digital natives are not always digitally literate. I interpret this as meaning that a "born on" date doesn't identify the amount of exposure that one will necessarily have to the technology that is available. Experiences May Vary. Kirschner notes that studies have shown that despite an assumption that being a digital native equals being digitally literate, schools and communities have incorporated technology and digital teachings in order to bring everyone up to speed. As mentioned previously, I believe I was one of these people for many years that would break the definition. I attribute my digital literacy to the Marine Corps because I was thrust into a technical job field. Because we were unable to afford a computer at home, I found myself at a disadvantage compared to other students. Ultimately, your environment and exposure during formative years defines your level of capability(literacy) in the digital realm.

I believe that every day brings forth growth in getting the world on the same digital page. Whether it is grandparents being taught by their grandkids or kids learning on a tablet, the gap continues to shrink between those who "can technology" and those you "can't technology." It might be time to acknowledge those in-between. Digital Resident Aliens, anyone?

Kirschner, P. and Bruyckere, P. (2017, 17 June). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker. Teaching and Teacher Education, Volume 67. Pages 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.001.

Prensky, M. (2001, October 5). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants . marcprensky. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf