Photo Credit: By: Charlotta Wasteson
How do instructors successfully integrate technology? Instructors must know their students’ technology mediated learning characteristics. One critical aspect of this is knowing if the students are Digital Immigrants or Digital Natives. While age does not always define technology experience and attitudes, research has shown that those that have grown up with technology think differently (Prensky, 2001b). The comfort level of students with trying new technology matters as instructors plan the balance of structure and dialog within their course. The range of possibilities with these two factors affects transactional distance, which is the gap between the understanding of a teacher and that of a learner (Moore, 2018). I have not integrated technology into a course, so I lack experience from that perspective. However, as an online student in this technology course, I look back at the way the instructor had each of us introduce ourselves and share our technology experience, and the extra directions that were available for those of us that were not comfortable with new technology. I will remember that in the future when I can integrate technology into my own course.
I am a Digital Immigrant, so I understand and sympathize with that perspective. What I learned this week is that I did not fully understand the change needed to teach Digital Natives. I was not aware that the way those “students think and process information [is] fundamentally different” (Prensky, 2001a, p.1). Their brains have physically changed and they prefer receiving information fast, parallel processing, multitasking, and networking (Prensky, 2001a). A study looking at use of new teaching technologies with a sample of digital native students highlighted the “mental fracture operating between nonlinear-thinking digital natives and linear-thinking instructors, a gap that places the education community in front of new challenges, as it imposes a deep re-adaptation of class pedagogy and teaching methods” (Hamidou, 2016, p. 183). In the discussion, a statement caught my attention, “the reluctance shown by most ‘older paper natives’ to use computers is to be compared with the reluctance shown by most young ‘digital natives’ to read books” (Hamidou, 2016, p. 200). I realized our faculty has been discussing how our current students are not reading the textbooks. There is a lot of frustration and speculation as to why, but this option was not discussed or considered. Prensky (2001b) says “Linear thought processes that dominate educational systems now can actually retard learning for brains developed through game and Web-surfing processes on the computer” (p.4). It is time to try to understand things from their perspective and adapt. So, to my future classes, I will do better.
Credit: Juan Cristóbal Cobo on Flickr
The second instructor take-on that I would like to discuss is one I do have experience with: add a layer of personal touch. I think this is important in any setting and under all circumstances. In an Educause Review (2021) podcast, speakers recommended several things to promote student engagement, including personalizing experiences, using students’ names intentionally, getting to know the students on a personal level. These things stood out to me because I try to do them to create a less stressful, more welcoming, safe environment for my students to learn in and I believe it helps.
Sources:
Hamidou, K. (2016). New interactive teaching technologies and education process at the UAE University: What are the uses, obstacles and added values? Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, 9(2), 183–206. https://doi.org/10.1386/jammr.9.2.183_1
Moore, G. M. (2018). The theory of transactional distance. In M. Moore & W. Diehl (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (4th ed., pp. 32-46). New York, NY: Routledge. https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315296135-4
Prensky, M. (2001a). Digital natives, digital immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon 9(5), 1–6. https://doi-org.er.lib.k-state.edu/10.1108/10748120110424816
Prensky, M. (2001b). Digital natives, digital immigrants Part 2: do they really think differently? On the Horizon 9(6), 1–6. https://doi-org.er.lib.k-state.edu/10.1108/10748120110424843
Techniques for Student Engagement https://er.educause.edu/podcasts/educause-exchange/techniques-for-student-engagement
Hello! One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou, is "when you know better, you do better" and it certainly applies here. The extended version of her quote is when you knew better, you did better and than made all the difference. I like this so much and it applies here because we are always learning more. I can envision you bring your new knowledge to your faculty meetings to discuss why students aren't ready the textbooks. What powerful conversations you will be able to have!
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect that is interesting to me is if students think differently than we do, then how do we effectively teach them? Are we asking them to think like us? Are we trying to think like them? Are we teaching ourselves and students that people learn in different ways and each needs to find what works for them? I just have so many questions.... What are your thoughts?
Thank you for your reply! I love the Maya Angelou quote and it does apply.
DeleteI have changed my thoughts on this subject over the last week. Previously, I have thought why can't they just read the textbooks and learn the information life everyone else has. This week I have realized there is more to it. Asking them to think like us would be forcing a step backwards in the progression of technology and may not be possible if their brains developed differently. I think it is our responsibility to adapt to the way they learn. I don't know that we can think like them, but we can learn how they think and find new ways that work.
You last two lines are the best! I may quote you...with reference of course. ;-)
DeletePrensky's (2001) assertion that a digital native's brain has changed was extremely interesting to me mainly because it's fascinating that technology has that kind of power. I don't know if my brain has changed, but I do crave the connectedness of technology that I am so used to. I had hip surgery on Thursday, and not being at work for the last few days has been very hard on me. However, technology has truly kept me sane!
ReplyDeleteI do think that there is a lot of value to have technology natives and immigrants, though. Sometimes, I can complicate things just because I prefer to use technology, even when that may not be the path of least resistance. Prior to my surgery, I made a checklist in Excel that had drop down cells and a color coded key that indicated a variety of different things. If I didn't know how to use Excel, I likely would have made a good old fashioned list that would have taken me about 15 minutes rather than the hour it took to design the spreadsheet. I think that we need a healthy mix of everyone!
DeleteRachel,
It is good to hear that you like the mix of everyone. I worry that my lack of experience is frustrating and limiting to those that are so much further along than I am. I know that I appreciate the mix and learning from others. This class has helped me learn and improve with technology....which is the goal and will continue to be a focus for me.
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