In what ways do you communicate online?

During my master’s program, I was exposed to the idea of digital immigrants versus digital natives.

It was a very interesting way to think about online communication as well as generational differences in this regard. Young people have nevwr known a workd where cell phones with all the modern features of cameras, video, text, call and social media were not available.

You Were Born When Mr. Bunch?

I tell my students each year that I was alive before cell phones were around and they gasp! It is difficult for them to imagine a world without these things. They would be considered digital natives in this regard.

Digital immigrants such as myself have learned to adapt or not adapt very well to this world in some cases and are thus considered digital immigrants.

For digital immigrants focus on one- task at a time was stressed during formative years. Sequential thinking, such as memorizing the Presidents, or The Constitution, were important. Learning resources were much more linited than today, existing mainly in newstands and libraries. Reading vast quantities of written text was also emphasized.

For the digital native, their environment has changed substantially in regards to the way they learn. Multi-media photos, discussions, social media and vast web resources make up their learning resources. Their minds resemble the task bar of a computer, actively processing multiple tasks at once. They think in a non-linear way typically or analytical way because they are not dependent on limited resources.

Straddling Both Worlds

Although as a teacher today, I straddle both of these worlds. I still consider myself a digital immigrant because I am not nearly as integrated into online communities as my kids are.

I hope you have enjoyed this post on The Life Long Learning and Education Blog. Feel free to comment below on your thoughts about this topic. Are you more of a digital immigrant or digital native?

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