In response to a blog written by Michael Barbour called Examining Generational Differences and having read two articles representing conflicting perspectives on the generational digital divide (see below 1&2), I have come to the conclusion that there is very little evidence to support the fact that there is an elephant standing in the living room.
Back in 2001, Mark Prensky coined the terms, “digital native”, and ‘digital immigrant” to discuss these generational differences. In response, Jamie Mckenzie wrote an article refuting Prensky’s evidence in the Educational Technology Journal, 2007 called “From Now On”. McKenzie outlined a case illustrating some factual sleight of hand on Prensky’s part back in ’01. Now, in 2011, there still seems to be one substantial problem. If Prensky was a fraud, the void he was attempting to fill was still, and continues to be a void. The gap between those raised in the digital era, or ‘digital natives’ and “digital immigrants” is still as tangible as ever to those of us viewing the chasm.
The only research based evidence for a true generational gap is an increased level of narcissism in today's youth, although even that has been called into question by Trzesniewski, Donnelan and Robins in their article “Do Today’s Young People Really Think They are so Extraordinary?” http://pss.sagepub.com/content/19/2/181.short.
Yet there he stands; that elephant.
We are trying to name something that we cannot name, or perhaps we don't want to name, because, quite possibly, it is a creature of our own making, but until such time as the scholars can put a name to it, I can still call it an elephant.
1. Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants – Part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6). Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
2. McKenzie, J. (2007). Digital nativism: Digital delusions and digital deprivation. From Now On, 17(2). Retrieved from http://fno.org/nov07/nativism.html
3. Do Today's Young People Really Think They Are So Extraordinary?An Examination of Secular Trends in Narcissism and Self-Enhancement by Kali H. Trzesniewski, M. Brent Donnellan and Richard W. Robins - http://pss.sagepub.com/content/19/2/181.short
Thank you for pointing out that while Prensky had done no research and over-reached with his assertaions, instructors know that student behavior has changed and can observe that the use of technology has increased greatly.
ReplyDeleteSo what research needs to be done here to be able to document a cultural change in the classroom. Interviews of veteran teachers - where grounded theory is used to conceptualize what is happening? Video comparison of classrooms from 20 or 30 years to today. Video comparisons of lunch room, buses and hallways?
Again, Prensky'assertations of changes in the brain and digital native/immigrant were not research informed - most teachers know their is a cultural difference. So what is that difference and what does it mean as far as learning.
You make some good points, and I agree that more research needs to be done. I also think that the need to prove an actual difference in brain development in some ways helps our generation to explain away our own inability to traverse the generation gap.
ReplyDeleteThe generation gap is a relatively new phenomena. It made its first appearance during the 'boomer' generation. Is this, perhaps, a conditioned response to our own cultural experience and expectation?