Prensky's Digital Revolt!

Wow, this week was a tough one! We were asked to analyze and provide our opinions relating to the following short analogy by Prensky and the discussions that followed were quite thought provoking!

“Students think and learn differently from their teachers because while the formers are digital language native speakers the latter have, at best, learnt their digital language as a foreign language. Thus, while our students have native speaker intuition, teachers do not.”

From the start of this week, things had been a bit frustrating for me and considering that this article was written in 2001, the question was a bit removed from the reality faced by many teachers from the new school. Though I’m entering my 8^th year of teaching and probably the 11^th or 12^th year working as an educator in schools, I still consider myself to be quite young and savvy with the technology I deem important and choose to use. Tech has always been around me and was integrated into the learning experience in university. I can confidently express my belief that I am a native not an immigrant when it comes to that silly discussion about natives and immigrants. I would assume that nearly all teachers who graduated from University the same year (2006) or after me will be quite adept at using technology on a personal or professional level, so again, to be pleasantly nondescript, I think the analogy is a bit crusty.

Of course, if possible I’d like to restructure a few of these boisterous statements, given the possibility that my hackles may have been riled by Prenkeys’ presumptuous statement! Upon further reflection of my university experience and having the gaps in my selective memory filled by objections from my wife, I began to have second thoughts about the true degree of technological exposure I supposedly experienced in University. Umm, let’s see…a projector, a whiteboard and erasable ink pen, a pc connected to the projector, an elmo (a machine that  magnifies and projects what is written and being written on paper, and the occasional PowerPoint or video played from the internet. Upon, further reflection of my primary and secondary schooling, I recall the technology use being quite limited to the parameters of teacher led lectures, oodles of note taking by students and the occasional hands on group project to be worked on and presented in class. So, while I will stick to my claim of feeling quite comfortable with technology, I must retract my claim that I was inundated with technology in the same fashion as the students of today.   

On another note, Presnky’s analogy had the effect of being a bit personally offensive as I am a L2 teacher of my native language but perhaps fall a few years outside the cohort ascribed to so called digital native and therefore am classified as an immigrant technology user within my own native tongue.

By the way, are there a bounded number of years that classify immigrants and digital natives’?

A bit later, I discovered that 1983 right up to 1994 currently stands as the years marking the first wave of digital natives and I am at least comforted that I fall into that stage but perhaps not really, since I was only just born in 1983 J.

Though it may have taken some time, I eventually transitioned past the anger and disgust brought on by strong, data-less, generalizations and I began to enjoy the wonderful dialogue (both in the readings and forum) that was made possible by Prensky’s volatile dichotomy. A full range of questions began to revolve in my mind and I especially enjoyed the shared consensus that though youth or even teachers may be experts at using technology (personally or in a technical sense) that doesn’t mean we instinctually possess the pedagogical awareness of how best to merge this knowledge of technology with a more effective delivery of content that enriches the classroom environment and meets the diverse needs of all involved participants.

In regards to such assuredly broadcasted proclamations on the indelible future of technology dominated learning environments, I began to ponder…

What will go the way of the dodo bird next? The pencil, paper, books, speech, scientific theory? How much must be relinquished in order to progress and how do we weigh and assess the value and superiority of the tools replacing older technologies and methods?

As an argument against the supposition that the result of being encapsulated in a technology enhanced environment conditions the development of uncanny brain power and abilities for children of the future, I thought…

Simply being immersed and surrounded by technology doesn't make you a digital native or a fluent speaker "participant" of the digital world. It is the nature of interaction and activities that define the level of one's digital proficiency. It is highly probable that a digital natives’ level of fluency and proficiency with technological tools varies from subject to subject (academically) based on personal interest, skills and other factors.

And lastly, representing the bastion of the old guard whom are naturally wary of all things new, especially the slightest change to old methods, I furrowed my brow, clenched my jaw and seriously pondered…

What impact does the dominance of technology have on retention, memorization, allocating value to new information (especially that outside of one's direct interest) and mastery of skills and concepts?

Week_2: Who's in the drivers seat?

   Well, the topics of this week have been quite interesting and have spurred much conversation within the DTLT forum while concurrently jolting the jammed gears of my mind into action. To begin, we were asked to ponder whether language teachers are at the forefront of those implementing technology into our profession and to identify a range of drivers that make technology implementation necessary. After a short moment of thought I quickly concluded that though I aspire one day to stand in the front ranks of some progressive movement, I currently would place myself near the back of the procession with the old grumbly grey hairs who moan and groan about the demise of ancient practices and bemoan their technologically superior, efficient successors.

   Now, in defense of my character and dedication to professionalism, I must shake off some of the blame and say that my stagnant pedagogy is heavily influenced by the severe lack of structure and resources in my current place of work, but being cognizant of these challenges and my defunct technological skills makes it all the more necessary that I devise a way to incorporate technology into my lessons. What I find quite interesting, or perhaps a more appropriate expression would be peculiar, is the fact that what drives the necessity of technological tools is the lack of any in my working climate. As I have mentioned on the Week 2 forum, my school is located far from the city center out in the windswept, undeveloped desert. Other than a feeble Wi-Fi signal, there is a severe lack of integrated technology in our school. There are Ipads but their use is restricted to the library, which, naturally is, "under construction" and will open soon, inshallah.

    In an attempt to be creative and overcome these developing country obstacles, I encourage students to use their blackberries and other fancy phones as dictionaries since adolescent boys have a chronically severe aversion to touching books...even in the classroom believe it or not. Rather than have students write spelling words and lesson related notes on paper, I encourage them to type them and save them as memos on their mobiles or personal computers. This has been mildly successful, especially for the boys who have not mastered letter formation for the English alphabet and struggle to write more than a few sentences before becoming exasperated. Typing notes on the phone also serves as an organizational process that we hope will become habit with our boys as they struggle to keep up with papers, pens, and subject books and do not carry back packs or messenger bags to school.

   Upon further reflection, it is my opinion that in the minds of some children a dictionary and pencil are perceived as high energy requiring, inefficient tools that pale in comparison to the tech tools available today and though there are plenty of people (myself included) that will point out the fundamental skills developed from using a pencil, searching for words in a dictionary and reading a book, as an educator I must first do what is best for the students learning style and I must also find a way to function effectively regardless of the challenges presented in this environment. In short, I am obliged to take actions that address the reality of the situation here and perhaps it is the students who are the drivers of technology!

Week 1: Let the games begin!!!

  Well, I am happy to report that after a two year long search, I have finally found, applied, been accepted, and started a Masters programme that suits my interests, desires and abilities. I must admit that, ironically, after being literally amped to life threatening levels of excitement, I have now lapsed in my studies during the induction week, which is quite worrying considering the fact that I am paying hard earned money for a well deserved education and I have gladly accepted a scholarship from the school with the unspoken understanding that I should most likely be expected to perform above caliber. With all these thoughts floating round in my head I’ve decided to sally forth by launching a full on ambush on my procrastination and promising to henceforth do things either on time or well before the actual due date. Hence my reason for sitting here on my comfy chase, lounging and typing what is probably to be perceived as a rather supercilious blog posting!

Now, on a more serious note, I must within the next day or so organize a study schedule that is suitable to my working hours and exercise regime. I suppose two to three hours of daily quiet study accompanied by occasional sips of cappuccino should be sufficient for the time being. I am thrilled that my tutors have envisioned the use of blogging as a way to build up writing endurance and I am appreciative of the opportunity to sharpen my rusty reflection, analytical and general writing skills as I feel I have lapsed in this area since graduation from university in 2006.

Moreover, I believe that implementing the knowledge gained from each reading, discussion forums and challenges to my interpretations of all module related content will pose a nearly insurmountable challenge in the secondary English as a Second Language classes I teach here in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. I am certainly looking forward to finding ways to implement whatever useful tidbits I gain from this module into my lesson planning and teaching!