Digital Natives & Digital Immigrants

Based on Prensky's findings, I would fall under the category of "digital native." I don't actually believe this has changed the way I learn too much. For example, although eTextbooks have been around for a long while now, I still find myself preferring to read from a hardcopy textbook so that I can highlight and write notes. However, I do conform to eTextbooks due to convenience, because I can take multiple books at once within my laptop. I believe it doesn't matter what age you grow up in, but rather what method works best for you individually. Others prefer eBooks to read and they can absorb information that way. I take handwritten notes on a notebook, because I retain more information that way, whereas other people may be fine typing out their notes.

As far as digital literacy goes, Kirschner found that being a digital native didn't equate to being digitally literate, rather higher income and higher education were connected to being technologically savvy. I would have to agree that being born into an age of technology doesn't mean that everyone has access. People may have access to basic things like email and Facebook, but being technologically literate is more than that. The more education you have, the more exposure you'll have to learning programs like excel which not everyone knows how to use unless taught. People with less education are also more likely to fall for scams because they wouldn't know what red flags to look for. Courses and training are the only ways to receive the education necessary to learn about everything the technological world has to offer. You don't know what to look for unless you're exposed to it.

One myth Kirschner addressed is the act of multitasking. In regards to teaching methods, Prensky said, "But it does mean going faster, less step-by step, more in parallel, with more random access, among other things." I would have to agree with Kirschner - how well does one actually absorb information if you're changing from one task to another? I don't think that education needs to be faster, less step-by-step, and with more random access; that sounds inefficient to me and detrimental to learning. I focus on my assignments one at a time, otherwise I can't perform to my best ability if my head isn't in it all the way.

I see how easily distracted my husband is when he tries to do homework with the tv on and with his phone next to him. His attention completely shifts from the tv to his phone, to his laptop and back to his phone, then the tv and so on. He swears he's a multitasker! Yet, he accomplishes so little with his homework sometimes.

How about you? Do you consider yourself a multitasker?