Digital Natives: Reflecting on the Myth"

Forward ~ Technologies have possibilities and limitations (or “affordances”), but they do not produce social change in themselves.

Chapter 1. ~ Technology, Education and the Discourse of the Digital Native

Between Evangelist and Dissenters by Michael Thomas.

I was surprised when I read that students were not allowed to use technology for fear of distraction in the classrooms. Students were died access to up to date education in a law school this is a normalized part of daily learning at all levels of schooling not just law school. Kids use their phones to access translators, calculators, and research material for classes.

I think a lot has happened with digital media since 2001 through 2010.  On Page 4 it states that in the last two decades more people use the internet it goes on to give statistics about the last five years. So that leads me to think if so many people (uncategorized by age) are on online and using the world wide web then why are we waiting to get more internet access into our learning communities. As educator we already know that we must prepare students for 21^st Century learning in hope that they do not fall behind when it comes to technology. This cannot be an ongoing struggle with students and teacher but instead a collaboration of network with how appropriate digital media can be incorporated into the classrooms with clear lessons and direction. Making the digital native a digital learner of more than just reading and writing.

Chapter 2. ~ Digital Wisdom and Homo Sapiens Digital by Marc Prensky

As technology becomes more sophisticated with continuous change, developing the capacity to help us make moral and ethical choices as well as more pragmatic decisions, what we call "human wisdom" will reach new levels. This will open gateways to enhancing our access to data, deeper analyses, and the ability to plan and prioritize. Page 25 explains it best Digital wisdom arises the combination of the mind and digital tools; what the unenhanced mind loses by outsourcing it will more than make up by the wisdom gained. Can digital wisdom be taught? I am going to say yes, after all isn’t that why we are in this class?

Chapter 3. ~ Students the Net Generation, and Digital Natives – Accounting for Educational Change by Chris Jones

Great chapter I like the way it begins it opens with “the existence of an environment (the world within to a world outside or as we know it) infused with digital and networked technologies (such as the young and the old), combined with an active engagement in these new technologies, leads directly to sharp generational break. Sums up chapter one and two. Does it really matter what name classification are being given to young people who are active or advanced users of the digital age. I have no preference to either the digital native, digital immigrant or the net generation as long as we are using wisdom and ethical language to communicate in the world of digital media.

As for collaborative learning, this must be an ongoing effort with everyone if we are to facilitate conversations of growth, transmission of knowledge and cooperation with the use of digital media in and out of school

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Visual Metaphor:

 I chose this picture becasue knowedge is the portal to understanding new and old things. Society changes and so does digital media and just like we must adapt to changes in the physical word so should we adapt to the digital meadi age. This all takes the willingness to learn in order to achieve knowledge.