Learning design differences for Digital Natives?
In other words:
How to Respond:
- Do you believe that we have to design, develop and deliver instruction differently for the so-called Digital Natives?
- Are there differences in learning expectations and styles or can we just design good instruction and know that it meets all generational needs?
- If you have an audience that includes natives and immigrants, how can you effectively design instruction without breaking the bank?
- Gadgets, Games and Gizmos for Learning Book
- Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants
- Digital Nativism, Digital Delusions and Digital Deprivation
Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic.
Option 2 -
Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post).
Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:
Tony Karrer - LMS
or you could also include your blog name with something like:
Tony Karrer - LMS : eLearning Technology
Posts so far:
- Karl Kapp-Kapp Notes: Do we really need to design differently for the so called "Digital Natives"?
- Michael Hanley - Learning design differences for Digital Natives? A Game-changer
- Kevin Jones - Engaged Learning: Learning Design for Digital Natives - Missing The Goldmine
- Karyn Romeis - here's mine.
- Kerry McGuire - My thoughts...
- Clark Quinn - Bugwash!
- Anil Mammen - Digital Natives and Learning
- Benjamin Hamilton - my response
- Why must we attach an ethnicity tag to learning?
- Wendy Wickham - For what it's worth.
- Taruna Goel - Interesting question. But does the divide exist? My views here
- Maria Hlas - Yes, But Not Necessarily Just For Digital Natives
- Gina Minks: The Big Question: Are there learning design differences for Digital Natives?
- Jack Pierce - The Wall Between Digital Natives And Immigrants
- G-Cube: The ‘Digital’ learning divide - native Vs immigrant
Posts
28 comments:
My gut tells me the Digital Natives are going to be doing the design for us rather than the other way around. They know media, entertainment, social networking, search technology, and the related baggage better than their elders. Many have rejected traditional schooling in favor of self-service, DIY learning.
Tony, here is my posting, thanks for this question!
Karl Kapp-Kapp Notes: Do we really need to design differently for the so called "Digital Natives"?
I like Jay's Comment. I agree. Many digital natives seems to know how to use the technology and just run with it. I really think that engaging students in collaborative activities such as content creation in wikis or even having them work virtually to create multimedia collages or even videos and slideshows would be better than just having them read text and write an essay. But this kind of work requires an instructor who is open to change and uncertainty, someone who's willing to learn new technologies and maybe even do some 'on the fly' virtual instruction. Teaching in the 2.0 world is more of an adventure than it was in the 1.0 world where learning seemed so two-dimensional.
My view is that we're on the cusp of a learning revolution. More here:
Michael Hanley - Learning design differences for Digital Natives? A Game-changer
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I have never heard of the term Digtal Natives, its very sort of PC.
Learning and instructional needs vary from person to person as we all know. A good teacher or instructor will constantly change the way they deliver information to the student. However, if I had the opportunity to instruct a Digital Native, I believe the task would be daunting and challenging at least initially.
After all, you are not just overcomming possible langage barriers, but you are having to school on topic termonology, break culture barriers, judgements, stereotypes (and that goes both ways)etc.
Culteral backgrounds are strong. Even though some may be born here and speak the language, their culture and diversity will show though. We as Americans will have to adjust in some way.
Hi danpro1,
Here's the link to Marc Prensky's essay Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants -
www.marcprensky.com/
writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20
Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
[re-assemble URL in Notepad if required]
The core thesis of the articles is that very much like actual immigrants to a new country (not necessarily the US BTW), digital immigrants speak with "an accent" - that is they carry their pre-digital world preconceptions and cultural conditioning with them, in a way those born post-1990 do not, as they grew up with mobile (cellular) phones, PC, Game Boys etc.
As an equivalent, think about how your parents couldn't program the VCR, and how you intuitively "knew" how to carry out this activity.
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Jay is right on, but I want to expand the questions a little. Do these questions step back far enough? We do need to ask these questions, but not before others. My post on the subject is Engaged Learning: Learning Design for Digital Natives - Missing The Goldmine. I would be very interested to hear if others felt similarly or if I am going too far back.
Casting a cat among the pigeons, here's mine.
I'll throw my cat in amongst the pigeons as well. My thoughts...
I would rather be a Digital Pioneer!
See my blog post at http://raenettesblog.blogspot.com/
My take is that we should do the best learning design for all, not just for one segment. See my Learnlets post: Bugwash!
An immigrant's response to a native question: Digital Natives and Learning
Great comments and posts already. Very interesting exchange on Karyn's post questioning the idea that there is even some kind of divide.
Here is my response
In a nutshell, I think the questions focus on the wrong issue...sorry :-)
Learning according to me is to do with understanding the learner. If this is the point where we start then yes it is a need that we have to address. Keeping in mind the complexity of matter, navigation and various applications. When the learners are not familiar with basics we cannot burden them with added complexities. This will deafeat the purpose as the learner will be stuck up with unserstanding the working of the course instead of concentrating and absorbing the facts and information presented. May be I am wrond but I feel some people are tech savvy and some dread technology.Thanks for sharing.
Here's my post for whatever it is worth.
Why must we attach an ethnicity tag to learning?
Taruna Goel - Interesting question. But does the divide exist? My views here
Here's my response:
Maria Hlas - Yes, But Not Necessarily Just For Digital Natives
Mobile learning is a great way to engage digital natives. I have tele-coached Pharmaceutical Representatives, recorded the telecoaching and podcast the conversation internally. They love having their voice heard, their challenges aired and having feedback by way of blog etc from product managers. Field based digital natives spend time on social networks, integrating learning & development and creating that two way bottom up social media feel really worked well.
I have podcast about the experience..
http://www.qbc.ie/2007/02/22/the-customer-experience-podcast/
Michael Byrne
www.qbc.ie
Gina Minks: The Big Question: Are there learning design differences for Digital Natives?
this blog is very nice. i love it
It's so easy to sit back and categorize learners (or anyone else, for that matter). Yes, there are differences between Natives and Immigrants...but we all live and work in the same world. We all get bored, and most of us (the Boomers and the Gamers) are ready for a change. I have some additional thoughts on this in my blog posting, The Wall Between Digital Natives And Immigrants. I would love your comments on the similarities between Natives and Immigrants, and how we need to up our approach for both...
It's so easy to sit back and categorize learners (or anyone else, for that matter). Yes, there are differences between Natives and Immigrants...but we all live and work in the same world. We all get bored, and most of us (the Boomers and the Gamers) are ready for a change. I have some additional thoughts on this in my blog posting, The Wall Between Digital Natives And Immigrants. I would love your comments on the similarities between Natives and Immigrants, and how we need to up our approach for both...
G-Cube: The ‘Digital’ learning divide - native Vs immigrant
I think that while one can certainly perceive a distinction in attitudes of an audience - some people are very accustomed to digital media and others more reluctant to embrace it - drawing a line based on age or ethnicity can lead to many missed opportunities. An effective training solution often borrows the best elements from every generation's methods to create a customized approach that suits the content and nature of the message. If the design is elegant, convenient, and creative, a single solution has the potential to easily span the myriad preferences and expectations in audience.
I do think there is a lot to learn from the pace and access of modern media and business, and that is undoubtedly changing the shape of training solutions. New training systems should be aware of the learner's increasing expectation of random access, mobility, and the ability to participate in network of shared knowledge.
Doing my rounds here.. God Bless!!!
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