Comments on: 3 reasons the majority of students are NOT ‘digitally literate’ http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/ Education. Technology. Productivity. Wed, 23 May 2012 07:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Doug Belshaw http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-5571 Doug Belshaw Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:21:00 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-5571 That's exactly right, Jeanne. There's a lot of hyperbole about 'digital natives' and how they've 'grown up with the Internet'. That may be the case, but it doesn't mean they use the tools at their disposal effectively or efficiently! That’s exactly right, Jeanne. There’s a lot of hyperbole about ‘digital natives’ and how they’ve ‘grown up with the Internet’. That may be the case, but it doesn’t mean they use the tools at their disposal effectively or efficiently!

]]> By: Jeanne Swedo http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-5570 Jeanne Swedo Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:14:00 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-5570 I totally agree with you. I just read Born Digital. I understand that the Millennials are accustomed to multi-tasking and have short attention spans and don't scroll and don't read... Their mere ability to use technology does not mean they understand it. Just as their ability to do a google search results in hits does not mean they are authoritative sources. I feel they don't know what they don't know and that's why we are here. To get them thinking outside of themselves and realizing being a digital native is not all that - it is a only a start. With maturity and education they will realize their limitations and hopefully grow into amazing contributors to society. Jeanne Swedo LMS bookgirl425 on Twitter I totally agree with you. I just read Born Digital. I understand that the Millennials are accustomed to multi-tasking and have short attention spans and don’t scroll and don’t read… Their mere ability to use technology does not mean they understand it. Just as their ability to do a google search results in hits does not mean they are authoritative sources. I feel they don’t know what they don’t know and that’s why we are here. To get them thinking outside of themselves and realizing being a digital native is not all that – it is a only a start. With maturity and education they will realize their limitations and hopefully grow into amazing contributors to society.

Jeanne Swedo
LMS
bookgirl425 on Twitter

]]> By: Jane Thomson http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-459 Jane Thomson Sun, 18 May 2008 08:26:45 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-459 Okay, blurry divisions when you unpack the labels. I think perhaps the point for educators should be to teach criticality when reading and writing using the web or other multimodal texts. Children / students are socialised into the technology and use it for their own purposes to real ends. In schools, we need to use it with them in purposeful and contextualised ways where 'being critical' is embedded. Okay, blurry divisions when you unpack the labels. I think perhaps the point for educators should be to teach criticality when reading and writing using the web or other multimodal texts. Children / students are socialised into the technology and use it for their own purposes to real ends. In schools, we need to use it with them in purposeful and contextualised ways where ‘being critical’ is embedded.

]]> By: Marco Polo http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-451 Marco Polo Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:32:17 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-451 Yup. Here in the land of hi-tech, university students all have mobile phones and are expert in using them, but know next to nothing about computers, and have no idea how computers can make so much greater use of the Internet than phones can (so far). This "digital native" vs "digital immigrant" image is taking on a life of its own, and flying away from reality. Kids are quick to pick up on new technology: so what else is new? Digital native just means they were born in the digital age and are hence likely to pick up on how the digital gadgets work more quickly than their parents. Big deal. Digital (or computer) literacy it ain't. Yup. Here in the land of hi-tech, university students all have mobile phones and are expert in using them, but know next to nothing about computers, and have no idea how computers can make so much greater use of the Internet than phones can (so far).

This "digital native" vs "digital immigrant" image is taking on a life of its own, and flying away from reality. Kids are quick to pick up on new technology: so what else is new? Digital native just means they were born in the digital age and are hence likely to pick up on how the digital gadgets work more quickly than their parents. Big deal. Digital (or computer) literacy it ain't.

]]> By: Andrew Field http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-446 Andrew Field Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:35:38 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-446 Digital native and Digital immigrant is still a great way to get current teachers in the profession to think about the way current students have access to technology. That is quite a limited usage, but still a great way in to help those within education to understand that technology isn't an bonus or added extra, it is part of life. As has been stated though, this has absolutely no connection with the actual competency of either group. Plus the issue that Doug alludes to that when you explore the labels further all the neat divisions blur and you're left with not a lot more than a starter exercise for a discussion about the role of ICT in modern education. Digital native and Digital immigrant is still a great way to get current teachers in the profession to think about the way current students have access to technology.

That is quite a limited usage, but still a great way in to help those within education to understand that technology isn’t an bonus or added extra, it is part of life.

As has been stated though, this has absolutely no connection with the actual competency of either group. Plus the issue that Doug alludes to that when you explore the labels further all the neat divisions blur and you’re left with not a lot more than a starter exercise for a discussion about the role of ICT in modern education.

]]> By: Doug Belshaw http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-447 Doug Belshaw Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:04:51 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-447 So what you're all saying, basically, is that 'digital natives' means as much as 'baby boomers'. It just signifies a generation? That would seem to be the case from what Andrew and Dean have been saying in trying to separate being a 'digital native' from being 'digital literate'. I think I agree but I'm not sure the labels <em>mean</em> anything any more... :s So what you’re all saying, basically, is that ‘digital natives’ means as much as ‘baby boomers’. It just signifies a generation? That would seem to be the case from what Andrew and Dean have been saying in trying to separate being a ‘digital native’ from being ‘digital literate’.

I think I agree but I’m not sure the labels mean anything any more… :s

]]> By: Virg http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-448 Virg Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:17:22 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-448 I agree with Richard on the line between digital natives and digital immigrants but I do believe that because one is a digital native does not make him or her a digital literate. I agree with Richard on the line between digital natives and digital immigrants but I do believe that because one is a digital native does not make him or her a digital literate.

]]> By: José Picardo http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-450 José Picardo Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:38:32 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-450 Hello Doug. I take your point that pupils may not understand the processes behind much of what they do online or on their computers, despite being "digital natives", but thinking about it: isn't it the most normal thing in the world? After all, pupils need to be taught. That's why they're there. I am a native speaker of Spanish but when I was 13 or 14 I did not understand well how my language worked or any language for that matter. I had to be taught grammar and basic linguistics and only then did I acquire sufficient knowledge to start extrapolating it to learning, say, English. My analogy might not be very useful if you have not learnt languages, but the point is: nevermind being native, they still have to learn. Hello Doug. I take your point that pupils may not understand the processes behind much of what they do online or on their computers, despite being “digital natives”, but thinking about it: isn’t it the most normal thing in the world? After all, pupils need to be taught. That’s why they’re there.

I am a native speaker of Spanish but when I was 13 or 14 I did not understand well how my language worked or any language for that matter. I had to be taught grammar and basic linguistics and only then did I acquire sufficient knowledge to start extrapolating it to learning, say, English.

My analogy might not be very useful if you have not learnt languages, but the point is: nevermind being native, they still have to learn.

]]> By: Gradually Learning » Blog Archive » links for 2008-02-02 http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-449 Gradually Learning » Blog Archive » links for 2008-02-02 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:12:52 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-449 [...] 3 reasons the majority of students are NOT ‘digitally literate’ (tags: ict learning teaching teenage) addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ffitch.edublogs.org%2F2008%2F02%2F02%2Flinks-for-2008-02-02%2F'; addthis_title = 'links+for+2008-02-02'; addthis_pub = ''; [...] [...] 3 reasons the majority of students are NOT ‘digitally literate’ (tags: ict learning teaching teenage) addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Ffitch.edublogs.org%2F2008%2F02%2F02%2Flinks-for-2008-02-02%2F’; addthis_title = ‘links+for+2008-02-02′; addthis_pub = ”; [...]

]]> By: Dean Shareski http://dougbelshaw.com/blog/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/comment-page-1/#comment-458 Dean Shareski Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:05:38 +0000 http://www.dougbelshaw.com/2008/02/02/3-reasons-the-majority-of-students-are-not-digitally-literate/#comment-458 I think Andrew's point is important because while many have issues with Prensky's labels, as Andrew points out they do serve a purpose. It helps us to realize that generally, they are comfortable in an digital environment but as you point out, not necessarily full adept. I would also add that in general, kids have figured out how to entertain themselves really well in a digital world, but not necessarily how to educate themselves. That's our job. I think Andrew’s point is important because while many have issues with Prensky’s labels, as Andrew points out they do serve a purpose. It helps us to realize that generally, they are comfortable in an digital environment but as you point out, not necessarily full adept.

I would also add that in general, kids have figured out how to entertain themselves really well in a digital world, but not necessarily how to educate themselves. That’s our job.

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