Get the RSS feed | Mark Brumley Archives

No More Digital Immigrants!
by Mark Brumley


Years ago I was launching a 1:1 program and was collecting content for a technology committee meeting. At this point I was in the proposal stage so I really wanted to hit a home run with this presentation. During my research, I discovered the terms “digital natives” and “digital immigrants.” This was the Holy Grail of metaphors! My whole presentation focused on this premise. Soon we were all using these terms with everyone we encountered, parents, administrators, complete strangers. Every conference I went to, edtechies were talking about digital natives and digital immigrants. Digital immigrant t-shirts popped up. It was bliss!Digital Immigrant with Tablet

Then the metaphor got taken way too far. People were saying since they are digital immigrants, they will always have an “accent.” We had first generation digital immigrants and even digital refugees. Technology professional development became digital immigration policy. Technology competencies became paths to digital citizenship.

Enough! Stop calling yourselves digital immigrants!

First of all, being comfortable with and knowledgeable about technology has nothing to do with age. I know middle schoolers who are neither. I never touched a computer until college and when I did, I booted up that Apple IIe and never looked back! I think it has everything to do with an innate curiosity and a willingness to learn new things. The teacher who wants to teach one year, 35 times, will never embrace technology. The teacher who is constantly evolving and improving will certainly explore the possibilities technology brings to the classroom.

In addition, I don’t like the term immigrant being used to represent someone with lower skills than someone else. Notice I said lower…not low. Even though I am quite tech savvy, calling myself a digital immigrant implies that I am not as skilled and not as comfortable as digital natives. Correspondingly, natives appear to have implied superiority. In my opinion, this is wrong. It is fine to use the term immigrant as a concrete term but not as a descriptor than implies inferiority.

So, colleagues, I propose that we all move forward and ban the term “digital immigrants” from our edtech vocabulary. I don’t even think we need to search for a replacement. We’re all learners on a continuum and cannot be grouped into two large and unfitting categories. I am definitely one of the biggest offenders and vow to change my ways. And, you will never hear me say the term “digital meltingpot!”

 

About Mark

Mark Brumley is an educational technology leader, presenter and professional development facilitator who has lived and worked around the globe in his commitment to provide authentic learning experiences to enhance the education of 21st Century learners. Mark is Community Manager for the Teacher Experience Exchange, http://www.hp.com/go/teacherexperience. You can contact him at mark@markbrumley.com and follow on Twitter, @markbrumley and @HPTeachExchange.

  • Anonymous on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 11:26

    Mark is 100000% right. Prensky's idea was good..10 years ago. But today's kids are NOT the "digital generation" - they are the "mobile generation." And we adults -- the bi-focal generation -- have made the shift to the new era, albeit with concerns and challenges and all the rest. But, we MUST stop beating teachers up. Thank you, Mark!

    Elliot Soloway
    @cathieANDelliot
    http://blogs.districtadministration.com/techdisruptions/

  • Anonymous on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 11:06

    Here here! Your journey sounds similar to mine. I've been trying to undo that thinking. It is really an insult to learners of ALL ages to say they are digital immigrants. Anyone with an interest, some time, and a network can learn to use digital tools effectively. I also think that the term digital native is dangerous in that it causes people to assume the young people somehow genetically "get it". Well, they don't... yes, they are unafraid to click and surf, facebook their friends, and play WOW until the wee hours. But, they don't intuitively get the social responsibility, ethical, moral, purpose-driven aspects of using digital tools to support learning, creation, etc. They need experts, mentors, guides (teachers, parents, other adults) in their life to really "get it"!

    Brian Kuhn - http://www.shift2future.com

  • Anonymous on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 20:53

    Thank goodness someone had the guts to stand up and "stop the madness!" So, I'm almost 50. So, I'm an old white guy (a secret club I like to refer to as the OWGs). I use lots of technologies, and people seek my advice on them all the time. I may be an immigrant but I've got a well-used passport.

    This is a metaphor that has seen its day. We need to stop relying on crutches and just get down to work. Thanks for taking the lead in ushering it out the door.

    JR

    • Post new comment