Divergent Digital Native

              Danah Boyd book is properly titled with “It’s Complicated,” I believe this title explains her positions on the digital native and digital immigrant terms. The current “digital native” generation is only native to the technology when they have the access or interest in it. Also, just because a teen is tech savvy, does not automatically mean that they are technologically literate or safe. “Digital immigrants,” may not have the terminology of the new app or video game but they should know how to access different types of technological resources to improve their teaching practice. Boyd clearly states “Both youth and adults have a lot to learn.”

             Marc Prensky coined the term and defined “digital native” and popularized “digital immigrant.” From my understanding, he believes the current student population has grown up using technology so their skills should be recognized and celebrated. Prensky believed that the digital native and digital immigrant will always be compared. Prensky “never expected this metaphor to have a significant life” however both politicians and the overall population took the term and ran with it full force. He later argues that instead of assuming either group of people (native or immigrant) understand everything or nothing, we should work together as a community to increase “digital wisdom.”

Michael Wesch expresses a great deal of information in his video especially about the power of technology and the power of the information we are providing our youth. Technology has the ability to provide information about anything, to anyone and at any given time. If we as a society can figure out how to spread the information and interpret it; we can do anything from providing support in a disaster, to collaborating through art around the globe. However, we cannot experience or enjoy the potential until we bring our youth from being knowledgeable to knowledge-able. We need to understand that our youth have the capability to create change, obtain knowledge and share it. But if we waste youth’s minds in classrooms that give the message that the only ones that hold knowledge are the ones in front of the classroom, we are losing a huge opportunity to flourish as a community.

             “Digital native” I do not believe it is an accurate term. Technically because of my social status and birth date I should be considered a digital native, but I beg to differ. My computer engineer of a father  has been studying technology since before I was born. He has way more knowledge then I ever will, specifically on how to navigate, manipulate and appreciate technology. I prefer the term “technological wisdom” I believe this term properly explains that technology is something that we learn more about overtime, especially because it is always evolving. As a teacher I appreciate and understand that I will never uphold wisdom in every subject to the highest degree, but I will always hold my ability to learn to the highest degree. I will strive to learn as much as I can through technology and the knowledge of the resources I can find through my community.