Reflection: Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

As I read Marc Prensky’s article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, I could not help but chuckle at the terminology. I have never heard of the terms “digital natives” or “digital immigrants” before yet I cannot think of better words to describe the two groups in our society. So which one am I? I grew up in a pre-internet era yet I had a PC which I used to type my book reports and play Magic School Bus games on the weekends. I was in middle school when the internet first became popular however my parents did not hesitate to sign up with AOL. If I had to classify myself, I think of myself as a digital native. Still, I would say I am somewhere in between the two worlds as technology was not my “native tongue” yet I do not have an accent. There will always be aspects that I will never be accustomed to, such as digital books. I love the smell and feel of holding an actual book.

In my day-to-day routine, I have encountered many digital immigrants. In fact, since I am the youngest teacher at my school, I am often the go-to person for computer or SmartBoard issues. I have helped numerous teachers connect to the server or download and install files to their computers. They are always astounded at my speed to locate and fix the problem. Yet I am always reminded of the comment my principal made to us at the beginning of the school year. She had mentioned that as we begin using SmartBoards in our classroom, the children will become more and more familiar with it until one day, they will be our troubleshooters. She could not be more right. If anything, this should be our motivation as teachers to stay current in the field of technology. As teachers, I know many of us are content to stick with the same old routine year after year because it is just easier. However, I realize remaining stagnant in our knowledge of technology hinders our ability to reach our students’ potential. In reality, it is not easier as it just creates a bigger wedge between the teacher and students and thus, creates more work for us in the long run. This makes me wonder why some teachers do not care to remain current in the field of technology.