I have established this blog to explore the integration of ICT in learning. As I see it, there are two main challenges that must be discussed:
- How can we integrate ICT in learning in ways that will enhance the level of learning our students reach?
- How can we motivate teachers to integrate ICT in learning in meaningful ways?
What we need to realise is that teachers and students are often divided by a gap that is caused by their different backgrounds and experiences. Marc Prensky (2001) delivers a very accurate description of this gap in his article: Digital Natives, Digtal Immigrants. Prensky characterises people under the age of 25 as digital natives. People who thrive on multi-tasking, performing parallel tasks. Living life online is great. Blogging and instant messaging plus the mobile phone are essential elements. The digital natives like to produce content and their motto is: sharing is power.
Opposite the digital natives, we find the digital immigrants (25+), who process information one piece at a time. Linear thinking and working is the order of the day. Real life only takes place off line. Their motto is: knowledge is power. Let's keep good knowledge to ourselves.
Often teachers are digital immigrants with a strong accent, whereas students are digital natives. So challenge no. 3 is:
How do we create respect and understanding between the two groups of people? Where is the middle ground where digital natives and digital immigrants can work together and create learning of the highest order?
Keywords: digital immigrants, digital natives, E-learning
