digital natives, digital immigrants

This article outlines the generational differences concerning new technology. The generation gap is not explicitly named, rather the article calls the computer savvy younger generation “digital natives” while the older generation or anyone not familiar with computers “digital immigrant.” The educational problem presented by the article is that the “digital immigrant” educators are having a problem reaching the younger digital native population. Digital immigrants value a slower paced, sequential, and patient form of teaching while today’s students require more stimulation in order to keep their attention. The spread of technology has allowed the younger generation to develop a mindframe in which fast paced random access to information has become the norm. Digital immigrant teachers are apprehensive when asked to adopt teaching strategies that would abandon the old logic, but when given ways to apply these strategies they do so. A whole other problem arises when the same teachers are asked to develop their own strategies. It is imperative that we adopt teaching strategies that will let students access the knowledge they need in order to succeed.
My own opinion on the subject is that we are going to have to adapt with the changing times, we cannot hold back until it is too late. A good way to look at it is that if you stop swimming you will drown. Many teachers were apprehensive about getting involved with technology and by the time they turned around it was too late. They were too far behind to try and understand the digital world that existed, or atleast that is what they believed. It can be a daunting and expensive task keeping up with technology, but we must do our best to meet students on their level.