Summary of an article - Essay Example

Summary of an article: ‘Digital natives, digital immigrants’ Marc Prensky is the of the article, ‘Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.’ The article explores technological differences between the youth and their predecessor generation and notes significance of the difference to education. This paper summarizes the article that also proposes a solution to the technology-based generational gap that is a threat to education. The author identifies two generations that are in conflict because of technological development.

Digital natives are the young generation who have grown up in the new environment of advanced technology and is therefore conversant with its applications. The Digital Immigrants however defines the older population that is introduced to the technology at their old age. Resistance and challenges of old age learning have been barriers to the digital immigrant’s knowledge of technology and they still rely on traditional techniques in their interactions with the young generation. The difference is significant to the education sector in which the Digital Natives are the learners while the Digital Immigrants are the educators.

Reliance on traditional techniques for education has been ineffective and the Native’s negative attitude towards traditional methods explains this. On the contrary, the Natives, for example, prefer parallel initiatives and multi tasking. They also over rely on the digital media that influence their available time for learning and their approach to learning while the Immigrants have failed to adjust their approaches to the new environment of technology. The author proposes a shift by one generation to the other’s orientation but argues for ease of adjustment of the Digital Immigrant than of the Digital Natives.

A change in methods of teaching and content are recommended for bridging the gap in education and ensuring effective learning in the diversified environment (Prensky 1-6).Works citedPrensky, Marc. “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.” On the Horizon (2001), 9.5, 1-6.