Digital Relativism or Digital Natives Versus the Digital Immigrant

Digital Relativism or Digital Natives Versus the Digital Immigrant

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The esteemed lecturer, Mr. Marc Prensky, concluded that there are two types of individuals present in our modern society, the “digital native” and their counterpart the “digital immigrant.” This is an ideology, that creates two defining terms for a generational divide of individuals present today. His thesis further asserts that people who fall under the category of digital natives are those who have been born directly into the information age. Meaning these souls have always been privy to the fundamentals of electronic communications, and they are well-versed and familiar with a multitude of varying digital implements. Opposingly, members of the “digital immigrant” community were conceived before the advent of said technologies and devices, and therefore, according to Prensky, lack some savvy in this field. While there has been some general discourse as to when this actual divide took place (1980-84/85), the fact is that I am firmly planted by my birth, in the latter of these groups.

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This being said, my educational endeavors consisted of many tiring and arduous nights, pouring over innumerable tomes, that were brimming with educational pearls of wisdom. This was not obstructive nor debilitating for me as a student, and I still prefer a tangible copy of a textbook over a digital option today. There is just something about being able to hold a “Bible” worth of information in your hands and feel the weight of its importance. This is an almost visceral experience, that allows you to hold these oversized publications, and freely mark them with your penciled-in addendums.

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I find value in physically thumbing through the pages of these books, as this procedure adds a sense of accomplishment to the process of learning. It required a student to actually put their effort into their education.

We could "dub" this the traditional pursuit of knowledge. However, at this point, I do digress, that toting these behemoths back and forth between classes was cumbersome, not to mention the difficulty in transporting them home each night. Today, information is obtained with relative ease on your laptop, all from the comfort of your own home. We can access all of humanity's collective knowledge, with the push of one keystroke. This has become one of the most beneficial assets of these technologies, moreover, this affords the modern learner a wealth of academic opportunities. This has become a valuable resource in this ever-changing pedagogical landscape of the future.

Do not get me wrong,  

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I am thankful for the moments of my pre-digital experiences, and I have nothing but utter respect for the involvement and intimacy that was required for prior scholastic undertakings. 

 

Kirschner Discredits Prensky’s Findings (Myth of the Digital Native) 

Paul A. Kirschner is a figure who stands in staunch opposition to Prensky’s presumed digital native theory. Kirschner, an educator with numerous accolades, states that “the supposed digital divide is a myth in itself.” (Kirschner, P.) Along with this supposition, he claims that the sheer act of multitasking is indeed another contradictory myth, which acts to further discredit any of Prensky's previous claims. He further refutes Prensky’s thesis, by surmising that the skill of multitasking is neurologically impossible for all members of the human species.

 Kirschner’s conclusion is supported by a plethora of studies that corroborate his argument. One such study, by Ophir et al. (2009), found that students who were self-reported to be multitaskers performed poorer on a test designed to gauge one’s ability to effectively task-switch (multitask). This data stands in complete contrast, to the students' claims, and those of Prensky himself. The researcher's hypothesis states that “multitaskers” are more susceptible to distractions, as they cannot discern between distractions and the actual imperative flow of relevant information. 

Collectively, when these groups were analyzed for grade point averages (GPA), in relation to those who did not engage in “high-intensity” Facebook behaviors (multitasking), they were found to have sub-par GPAs as opposed to their counterparts, who did not multitask within the Facebook platform. Moreover, an examination of the “grey matter” in this cohort of self-proclaimed multitaskers, was shown to contain significantly lowered percentages of the actual brain tissues themselves. This study, conducted by Loh and Kanai (2014), quantified decreased density in the cingulate cortex, which is a locale of the brain, responsible for “executive functions”.

Another study published in 2016, by the National Library of Medicine and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NIH), concluded that per 2012 data, distracted driving led to 3300 deaths and 421,000 injuries resulting from distracted driving collisions. The number one distraction identified in this study was texting and driving, which further cements the danger of assuming that there are actual multitasking individuals in our society. In conclusion, we can clearly ascertain, that all of the voluminous data actively refutes any of Prensky's previous claims.

Furthermore, these data state, that both sides of our digital divide, digital natives, and immigrants alike, lack the ability to multitask. Additionally, when we assess Mr. Pensky’s affiliations listed at the end of his paper (The Emerging Online Life of The Digital Native), we can see that he is the founder and CEO of Games2train, a company that sells its products to IBM, Bank of America, Nokia, and the Department of Defense. This is an obvious bias that needs to be accounted for in our interpretation of any of his findings, as his stated positioning, would further his entrepreneurial pursuits. With these facts in hand, it is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that all claims regarding the generational abilities of digital natives should be completely refuted and discredited.

Works Cited: 

Gliklich, E., Guo, R., & Bergmark, R. W. (2016). Texting while driving: A study of 1211 U.S. adults with the Distracted Driving Survey. Preventive Medicine Reports, 4,486-489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.09.003 

Texting while driving: A study of 1211 U.S. adults with the Distracted Driving Survey - PMC (nih.gov) 

Kirschner, P. A., & De Bruyckere, P. (2017). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker. Teachingand Teacher Education, 67,135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.001 

Prensky, M. (2001) Accessed 21^stOctober 2022. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On The Horizon, MCB University Press. 9:5 

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants (marcprensky.com) 

Prensky, M. (2004) Accessed 21^st October 2022. The Emerging Online Life of the Digital Native: What they do differently because of technology, and how they do it. 

They Got Gameplay (bu.edu)