Digital Nativity_

Chris Mogensen

Faculty of Information Technology

Nova Scotia Community College

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“O God, give us the serenity to

accept what cannot be changed,

the courage to change what can be

changed, and the wisdom to know

the one from the other.”

- Reinhold Niebuhr

Marc Prensky wrote “Digital Natives,

Digital Immigrants” in 2001.

Students entering the

school system at the age

of five in 2001…

…and entering post-secondary institutions.

…are now 19…

These

students

entered

Primary the

year Apple

released the

first iPod.

(Marc Prensky’s article was

published the same month)

Demographically, there are 363 million of them.

They can have trouble communicating (in

person), consider themselves global

citizens without knowing much about the

world, and question established social constructs like dating, love, and marriage.

They think and process information

fundamentally different to their

predecessors.

They have grown up connected to the

world, using touch screens, finding new

ways to share experiences they are having.share

question

think

Myth: Digital Natives can use all kinds of tech.

Fact: They learn it quickly, but still need explanation.

Myth: Digital Natives want all content digitally.

Fact: Some students say paper books are less

distracting, strain eyes less, and are more comfortable

to use.

Myth: Digital Natives are aware of their online

presence.

Fact: Not always, and they are surprised how much

information can be unearthed with a simple search.

Myth: Digital Natives are lazy.

Fact: They question why they are doing something in

order to understand and negotiate their lives.

Myth: Digital Natives want lots of educational

technology.

Fact: Too many options can be overwhelming (and

overwhelming to maintain).

These “kids” are completely different:

• many have never even seen a

newspaper other than watching their

parents read one

• they don’t watch television…most media

is Internet-based

• they have a completely different

relationship with the media

• positive or negative, this transformation

inevitable

• they need guidance on how to live in this

world

• they are consuming, but don’t know how

to put it in context or how to evaluate it

Millennials are

expected to have 17

different employers

over their lifetime -

upskilling and lifelong

learning are the norm.

Whole vocations have emerged during their schooling.

We have no

long-term

evidence of the

health effects

using handheld

devices.

Not without irony, the immigrants

invented the technology the

natives are using.

Digital immigrants learn,

some better than others -

to adapt to their

environment.

immigrants

invented

The traditional style of teaching

i.e. 100’s of students listening to

a lecturer present factual

information in a step by step

process, is no longer an

effective way of teaching the

new generation of Digital

Natives.

The new paradigm incorporates

mobile devices, virtual worlds,

robotics, phasing out physical

textbooks, adding blended

learning/courseware sites…

…and encourages digital natives to

use Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat,

Facebook, and “selfie sticks” to

make content.

What about fears that

digitization is undermining

the pedagogy? Some

professors or schools ban

electronic devices…

These are missed opportunities.

Our students need to be…

…proficient with digital technology

…savvy coders

…prolific e-book readers

…but moreover understand deeply,

holistically, and realistically how the

digital world works behind the scenes.

deeplyholistically realistically

Schools often hand out

technology but don’t deal

with how they teach about

the tech.

Adopting cutting edge

technology is not the

answer, nor is

intimidating learners

with the “dangers” of

the Internet.

Re-writing the currencies.

So what is the answer?

(We’ll come back to this)

Students get little

opportunity to practice

technology beyond

persuing personal

interests.

They should be encouraged to

“solve sophisticated thinking

problems”, rather than “using

entertainment or communication

technologies”.

They need opportunities to

develop the skills and

knowledge to engage with

contemporary technology

effectively and meaningfully.

Technology needs to be

incorporated into how students

solve problems, enhance

productivity, or develop creativity,

and not just for researching

information.

solve enhance

develop

Becoming literate in a

networked age is hard

work, regardless of age

(or familiarity).

Another Myth,

Computer science is often

taught as a peripheral course.

We’ve become good at using the

tools, but not knowing why we’re

using them.

We need to teach digital citizenship.

Young people are experimenting with

identity to interact with people and in

ways they normally wouldn’t.

We can engage the digital natives in discussions

about identity…what does it mean in a digital age?

Do you have one identity or many?

One could argue it doesn’t

change…but its distribution

does.

Have discussions about how the Internet

generates money by selling personal data…

…and challenge what “wasting time” on the Internet means?

We can debate over whether digital technology makes

people more open-minded or more enclosed in world

views…

Ask how .mp3’s, Torrents, Netflix and YouTube have

changed the landscape of entertainment and business…

Technology is a tool, like a pencil…it’s a means to an

end, not a replacement for very human learning.

“What about us?”

“Hey, Chris!”

“Y’know, the teachers?”

“If you can

it, why teach it?”

• We used to be appreciated as “experts in our field”

• The emergence of the Internet has usurped the

teacher from the role of dictator of subject content

• Now we “facilitate” knowledge that is widely

available

• All computing devices are dismantling knowledge

silos

• “Sage on the stage” to “guide on the side”

• Intellectual property that once belonged to teachers

is now openly available on the Internet

• Likewise, teachers are now borrowing lesson plans

shared online

Teachers are already

overburdened with

curriculum

demands…adding

technology integration is

one more thing, and

keeping up is a challenge.

When the

teacher relies on

digital media to

provide the core

knowledge, their

role shifts to

facilitator.

Absorb content at

home, engage in

facilitated

projects/problem

solving at school.

Flipped Learning:

Student driven learning is

curious, collaborative, self-

organized, engaged, and

social, and facilitated by

mentor encouragement.

Teachers used to make

the content, now it can be

more efficient to use

professional content.

Be a curator!

Our skill set becomes about

curation, and then teaching the

skill of curating.

The Internet is currently like the wild west.

Digital natives are driven by

productivity…their goal-oriented approach

might seem aggressive, but incorporating

values might be a good strategy:

There are many ways to come to a

conclusion…embracing all the technology available

leads to a broader understanding of the problem.

Including a place for it in lessons

will allow a deeper

understanding.

The {new} currencies:

Acquiring the skills and thought

processes needed to respond

appropriately under pressure, in

a variety of situations.

What is learning?

“Chris, we’re educators…”

“I know. Stick with me.”

Handwriting replaced by

keyboarding, or mouse handling, or

touch gestures, or…

How does one transcribe thought

into physical form for future

reference or to share with others?

Critical thinking replaces rote learning.

The information is already there…how

do I find it, and how do I disseminate

right from wrong?

Student-led Content Creation:

Create videos, podcasts, blogs,

lead forum discussions, critique

each other’s responses, create

plans and projects.

By making, they will learn…it’s

about rigorous standards;

frequent peer assessment will

enforce fairness.

Project-Based Learning:

Extended periods of time

investigating and responding to

an engaging and complex

problem, question or challenge.

Game-Based Learning:

Look at any good game…deconstruct the fun;

what is left is an enjoyable built-in learning

process.

To progress in a game is to learn; when we are

actively engaged in a game, our minds are

experiencing the please of grappling with and

coming to understand a new system.

Assessment Needs to Change.

Many collaborative activities are

wonderful, but if you still

evaluate with an exam…

In conclusion…

{Despite the rise of illegally downloading

movies, Netflix counts for more Internet

traffic. What can we learn from that?}

{Netflix takes its content, curates it for its

users, recommends new experiences

based on consumption, and presents it in

an easily accessible, attractive package.}

{What can educators learn from that?}