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Academic Digital Event

Digital Native Debate, #pelc10

Notes taken on my netbook – a bit rubbish, didn’t really seem to note who was saying what, but it was a great debate!

  • Digital Native Debate… (Prensky)
  • Visitor – does what they need to do, log in, log off and they vanish…
  • Resident – lives out a portion of their life online, an aspect of their persona will remain online… a place to be with other human beings…
  • To many – see the web as a social space, like a park on a sunny afternoon…
  • Could be brilliant visitor, but ineffective as a learner… visitor – sees the web as a toolbox, come in, use tool, then go away…
  • Context is really important…
  • “It’s not about academic or technical skills it’s about culture and motivation.”
  • [Use of Ustream camera – need to stay in shot?]
  • Come from technology or educational side? Similar – what are we trying to do with theories, paradigms, etc… Use technology to train social workers the best… Visitors/residents, “has a great beat, but I can’t dance to it”… Don’t know who that learner is until we walk into the classroom… but Prensky helps the students understand themselves… Doesn’t add up – dad uses iPhone with everything… he’s 60ish… [Tara]
  • Steve Wheeler[labelling = a restraint] … Let them use the tools without labelling – 2 unlabelled tins, if starving will eat it… Ageist, doesn’t mean not adept at technology! Everyone works to own skill & speed, why categorise them?
  • Cultural Difference… the Hole in the Wall project
  • Is it about the theories, or about the interpretations?
  • Debate masks digital literacy, digital divide (2001, v different world – Prensky partially refuted own theory)
  • If bring tech into the classroom, has to be for learning? Whiteboard not just for presentation tool, use it as an interactive tool…
  • Students wanting more technology not necessarily a driver for pedagogic change?
  • Use term ‘digital spectrum’?
  • Labelling, bad idea, self fulfilling prophecy – labelled as high achievers, they get more attention, so they become high achievers…
  • Students label selves? No, wouldn’t [dave] wouldn’t even let students know, but can be helpful for learning technologists who need to think about how learners MAY learn… Continuum = helpful…
  • Like Dr – want a label – feel helpful…
  • What IS a digital native – is it to do with using it for your vocation, or for learning?
  • Are we talking for digital or for learning – many are not technophobes, they’re just not interested… , they can’t see the point of it, so are we not describing the advantages well enough…
  • Too much technology isn’t transparent, requires time to adapt – so needs to be a reason for so..
  • Digital Wisdom – Prensky’s paper which refutes his own ideas, but it’s too confusing – so can’t be picked up and be used so well…
  • Are we failing the students if we don’t teach them how the new knowledge economy works?  Now they need so much more than …
  • Meeting local community centre – rich participation, don’t need to be literate…
  • Peer reviewed doesn’t necessarily mean better?! Has to be done properly, as does your own use – if you think it will work, try it out and see…
  • Those not reflecting visibly on social networking, probably have their own techniques that are useful – respect those, don’t take the technologically deterministic approach…  e.g. Second Life may work for small seminars, but not for large classes?!
  • May be a digital native outside, but not in the classroom, may have multiple attention streams… that’s how they behave but have their brains changed, so does it work for them – evidence seems to be that they shouldn’t…
  • Using technologies as artefacts, or just as tools…
  • My reality isn’t the same as your reality, and my favourite tools aren’t yours… etc  Reality has to be negotiated within the group, and each will have a different reality…
  • Pedagogical need – use the appropriate tool to reach the learning objectives….
  • Dave WhiteMost of the debates are about larger social issues – tend to be framed by technology…
  • Is Facebook for rich kids – it’s based on an advertising model!! It’s part of the capitalist system…
  • Steve – name it, you tame it.. like learning styles, not helpful theories of categorisation, and look at people’s needs..
  • Dave – as presented by Prensky – dangerous. Digital Native debate is old hat… Digital Resident/visitor more helpful…  Don’t get caught up discussing these things – use it if it’s useful, use something else if you need it…