Digital Natives VS Digital Immigrants??

On this first occasion, I would like to share with you my personal views as regards a very interesting article called "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Marc Prensky (at the bottom you'll find the link to read it if you like).

Firstly, I will comment on whom I consider to be "Digital Natives" after reading Prensky's article. Secondly, I will choose a quote from the above-mentioned article I completely agree with and another one I disagree with.

DIGITAL NATIVES are a new generation of students that think and learn in a different way to ours. Those students are going to be the students we'll have to teach every day at school, so it's no use going against them and their own skills and strategies to learn. Quite the contrary, we are expected to take full advantage of those new ways of learning.

According to the author, "Digital Immigrants teachers assume that learners are the same as they have always been, and that the same methods that worked for their teachers when they were students will work for their students now." In my humble opinion, I can't think of teaching without considering my students' contexts, their likes and dislikes, etc. Teaching in the same way we have learned means turning a blind eye to new ways of learning. Obviously, new technologies affect the way people learn and new ways of acquiring knowledge have developed over time.

"A frequent objection I hear from Digital Immigrant educators", says Prensky, "is that this approach is great for facts, but it wouldn't work for 'their subject'. Nonsense. This is just rationalization and lack of imagination". In this case I don't agree with Digital Immigrants educators because, as the author expresses, the fact that this approach wouldn't work for our subject is "just rationalization and lack of imagination". We tend to think that using computers in our English lesson or designing a PowerPoint presentation is a waste of time and so it isn't worth the risk. But new technologies are a great source of information and a fantastic way to prepare attractive lessons. There are many things to do according to the subject in discussion. English, in particular, is a subject that lends itself to be taught through the use of computers, videos, and such like. As a consequence, teachers must be able to see the advantages of implementing new technologies when teaching.

I hope these opinions help you to reflect upon the use of new technologies in the EFL classroom. It goes without saying that designing new materials and preparing appealing lessons is a very demanding job, but it also means students eager to learn.

Does it sound good? Let's get to work!!

If you are interested in reading the article, here is the link:

http://www.twitchspeed.com/site/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.htm