Nowadays we live in a world that is constantly and rapidly advancing in technology, which has been the reason as to why the digital landscape has become an important part of our lives. There are many opinions and debates surrounding the impact of technology in the world which is centered in youth and their abilities to utilize it in a positive and also negative ways. In this post I will be exploring the divergent positions of Boyd and Prensky, who are two influential thinkers in the field of technology, and the controversial notion of "digital natives" and how this terminology can present a nuanced stance .
Prensky's Perspective:
Being an educator and an author he coined the term "digital native" to describe the younger generation and their assumed proficiency with technology. Prensky compares and contrast how natives are much better at using technology than immigrants and he highlights the areas in which natives excel over immigrants. Prensky argues that youth today are accustomed to technology since they have grown up surrounded by digital tools, making them natural experts in navigating the digital world. He makes it a point that the younger generation have a distinct cognitive ability and learning preference, which is due to being exposed to technology from an early age. Prensky then relates that being old school and teaching in an old school way will be an ineffective method of learning for digital natives and it is necessary to call for an educational shift to better engage and empower students. It is vital to incorporate technology for students as it is something that makes them feel in their comfort zone.
Boyd's Perspective:
Danah Boyd, argues against Prensky's concept of digital natives. She emphasizes that young peoples ability to navigate digital technologies is not inherently ingrained in them but it is a result of their social concept. It is wrong to assume that just because they are born with the commodity of having technology that was never available before, they can automatically know how to best use it. She quoted " Because teens grew up in a world in which the internet has always existed, many adults assume that youth automatically understand new technologies.” Danah made it a point that today's youth generation curiosity is what helps them be proficient in the technology of their liking, but it does not help them become literate. According to Boyd, the term "digital native" oversimplifies the complexities of youth engagement with technology. She also makes it clear that there are significances in socio-economic, cultural, and educational factors in shaping young people's digital literacy. Boyd says it is important that access, skill, and usage patterns become critical factors that determine how youth interact with the digital world. Lastly, Boyd closes the chapter 7 with the following quote "It behooves all of us to move past assumptions about
today’s youth. Both adults and youth need to develop media literacy
and technological skills to be active participants in our information
society. Learning is a lifelong process" which makes sense to have both adults and young people learn how to best use the technology available to them.
My stance on the "Digital Native" terminology is that it is overly simplistic and inaccurate. I think both young and old generations can be natives and can also be immigrants in technology. While it is undeniable that today's youth have grown up in a digital world, their proficiencies and abilities vary greatly. It is important to know that digital literacy skills are acquired through experiences, guidance and access to resources, rather than believing that you come out of the womb knowing how to use all the technology available in the world. I think instead of basing it on a binary classification, it is important to recognize the different factors that shape digital literacy which include socioeconomic disparities, cultural backgrounds and educational opportunities. There are schools who lack access to chromebooks and there are school who only use ipads which can cause a disparity.
In conclusion, both Boyd and Prensky offer contrasting perspectives, since Boyd emphasizes the significance of contextual factors in shaping young people's engagement with technology. Prensky highlights generational differences and cognitive advantages of digital natives. I think by having Natives vs Immigrants is an oversimplification of generations as there are older people who know how to better use technology over younger generations.
