Friday, 20 March 2009
Week 9: B- The youngest digital immigrant I know
The youngest immigrant I know is a man who is in his early 30’s. This does make me think about where the cut-off point between natives and immigrants. Between the oldest native and the youngest immigrants I know, there are approximately six years or so difference- a long time in terms of how much technology may have developed. For the purposes of this question though, I find it strange that actually there is little difference between what the eldest native and the youngest immigrant does with technology. The one main difference is the extra time it takes for the immigrant to use certain applications. For example the immigrant finds it hard to navigate round web 2.0 sites because they use more complex software. What would seem simple to a native can bamboozle an immigrant! He very rarely engages in technology he does not know or has had had to become accustomed to, as he feels its far too demanding and complex for him to understand.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree with your point in your other blog about the boudaries between digital natives and digital immigrants become blurry. I think Prensky has applied these two notions in a way to enhance a digital divide, where really there are many circumstance where a digital native actually has the experience and capabilities more suited to the term digital immigrant. Isn't it strange how people around similar ages have very different views on technology? It shows how people are affected differently to this type of change/advancment. How long do you think it will be until people don't have a choice to disregard technology and will have to accept and capably use the internet?
ReplyDeleteI feel that there is more and more pressure being put on people to use technology, as it is now part of modern day society, it is everywhere you go. I do think Prensky does generalise a little too much, because as mentioned before, there can be no clear cut definition for the two notions; Everyone is different and will be affected by their environments in different ways.
ReplyDeleteIt is very strange how people of similar ages can have such different views. I guess the amount of access people have both in the past and present and how much they want to learn about technology will vary their views.
I have always thought people have the choice to use technology, but the more I think about it, the more I feel that there aren't many choices avaliable for people that don't include technology in order to complete tasks such as communicating or researching for example.
Yes, to further your last point and example of this is my grandad trying to sort out bookings for a holiday he recently went on and when trying to call up the company he was constantly directed to the internet and wasn't given an alternative for a few days of trying to talk to someone over the telephone. This shows how society is becoming reluctant with situations in meatspace and is favouring technology in a lot of different societial factors.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is interesting because being a luddite is always a 'lifestyle choice' for an older person, less so for a younger person?
ReplyDeleteThere are many resources with which we can construct our personas (in meatspace as well as online). Gadgets and 'cool stuff' are certainly some of the things we use/don't use. Is it possible to know whether one person's "I find it too hard" is the same as another's "It was easy to work out"?