Describe the experience of a fictional technophile student in 2020.

Jimmy, with a huge grin on his face, walks down from the Engine Shed stage. As he does so he trips over a Yellow cable running across the floor, as he stumbles his glasses fall from his face!!

"Dam Coaxial cable, the tubular insulating layer will now be ruined"

Jimmy is a technophile, and has just won the award for

"The Distinguished artist award for lifetime achievement in digital art. "

He's only 19!

Jimmy spends his day to day life, creating graphics and potential logos and themes for University.

Recently Jimmy decided to redecorate his room, he's rather proud of this , as student courts have traditionally been known as abit of a dive.

Jimmy strolls home through the courts after his night at the awards. Approaching his bedroom door, Jimmy shuffles in his pockets for "The remote".................. Jimmy's new invention.

Hitting his secret code ............. 0000.............. and enter. A series of automatic unlocking can be heard through the door.

As he enters his room, his new digital friend.. Susan ... repeats her daily line..... "Welcome Home Jimmy"

Of course his new system of automatic lights have all ready turned on, and he's pleased to see 'Roberta' ... his cleaning robot has folded and put his clothes away.

Tired from the night events, Jimmy gets undressed and gets into bed.

"Good night Jimmy" a voice echos

"Thanks susan", Jimmy replies and dozzes off to sleep.

Describe the daily frustrations of a fictional neo-luddite at university now in the UK.

"WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP" bethany's mum calls from the kitchen... "Your 15 minutes late"
"Dam it" said beth. She didnt know how to set her alarm clock! It was leaving day, Beth was leaving for University. Her flight for East Midlands left in less than an hour, but it was ok, beth felt cool, prepared and ready for this big adventure. There was only one thing that was niggling away in the back of her mind...... She'd never flown on her own before.


DISH.... DASH ... "oh excuse me......... please move.... uhhh wheres check in for East Midlands, anyone... "
"Grrrr humph, get outta my way love, read the screen!!!" said a heavily bearded man.

Beth reached her departure gate, and shifted threw her bag for her flight tickets. She hands them to the the smiling lady behind the desk. Slowly her smile disappears and she says, "Am sorry dear, you were suppose to check in online with these tickets"
Beth signs ands says, "But I don't know how" the lady unsympathetically says "Well it'll cost £5 each way to book in here."

Once in East Midlands airport, beth spends an hour waiting on bus, she could have spent ten minutes if she'd looked up the times on the internet before she left!
The rest of her journey wasnt much better!

Beth arrives at on Lincoln Campus, surrounded by hundreds of freshers, carrying bags and suitcases she stands clueless in the middle of the car park. Lincoln University's website provides all the information of where and when beth had to be at her accomodation, but she'd missed out on that because she was too busy writing a letter to her aunt margret.

A fresh faced student approaches beth, " hi, are you ok there?"
"Am looking for my accomodation" says Beth with a hopeful look that some one might actually know what she's suppose to be doing.

The young girl, named Jenny, looks up beths details and takes her to her new room, " There you go, sort your things out, and heres a few leaflets. "Heres one on the Uni, however this one (she hands a yellow form to beth) is important, it gives you all the information and log in details of how to set up your internet, and also i need you to email me over your inventory after you've checked out your room" And then she left!

"Oh shit" thought Beth!! There was internet cables, TV cables, sockets in the wall with round holes and square holes, all this information on sheet saying something about:
"www." and windows set up, transfer your settings, use the numbers 78384738 and XYZ"

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Theres a knock on the door, it's jenny.. " Oh and you'll find your Uni Timetable on student portal"


" The student what??

I need mum, beth thought! And headed out to look for a pay phone. No she didnt have a moblie.

Beth missed lectures, lost out on nights out, became out of touch with her family and ended up a social outcast.

A person known to you, who most threatens the notion of native/immigrant in digital culture.

Ok i think its fair to say that my friend Sarah, previously mentioned, fits into this notion of threatening native/immigrant in digital culture.
Sarah's age, 19, suggests that she should be a digital native as like myself she as grown up surrounded by new digital technologies. She has also been very privledged to have been giving the opportunity to experience all these new technologies. From internet, mobile phones, playstations,digital cameras, nintendo DS's, the first MP3 players, the first Ipods to the latest developed Ipods and recently recieved the Wii and Wii Fit.

It sounds like she should be very digitally advanced but she just not. She has basic skills of the internet and uses the social networking page, bebo (only as a worry she'll be left out). Whilst encouraging her to visit me in Lincoln, I have had to go online to book flights has she seems stuck to what to do.
Digital cameras great for taking photos, but uploading on to the computer??? And whilst she loves music, Itunes isn't in her vocabulary. Therefore her Ipod is only updated when i visit home.

The point of this is to understand that just because she has grown up in an age dominated by new media doesnt mean she is naturally a digital native. Something that is assumed by theorist Prensky has he bases his definitions on age groups and generations in society.

The youngest digital immigrant you know

This has got to be my best friend, Sarah. Shes certainly digitally challenged. Even though our schools has encouraged us to use computer equipment, shes never really got the hang off it. Sarah for a long time has struggled to get to grips with the internet, how it works and the possiblities it provides.
However at the age of 18, she began her new job an estate agent, which requires her working in office surroundings using computer systems and programmes, printers, fax equipment, photocopiers etc. This has taught her alot in the last year and her computer skills are coming along slowly but surely.

The oldest digital native you know

YO YO Nanny C! She knows were to be!!

Send me a text an I'll follow up with the rest! What about an email shes no snail!

My nanny is the oldest digital native I know, and its just as well with me living so far from home. From the begining my nanny has taken a great interest in computers. She likes to think she keeps up with the modern world and isnt doing a bad job. With me being away alot, we send various emails back and forward and shes forever searching her next holiday online.

Should education 'stretch a person do you think?

I have always been taught to do things to the best of my abilty, push myself to strive for more and never accept second place as a consolation prize. In todays world of work, people are faced with a very competitive, cut-throat style approach to progression. Therefore in order surrive out there 'in the jungle' its important we are equiped with the right skills.
So before reaching the big Bad world, its important that throughout out school lives we have been pushed to the limit to achieve our best. (This refers to stretching people)

The introduction of new media in schools is a great idea. Often you see supermarkets promoting some sort of scheme which'll help give so many computers to schools. It's important that children learn from a young age how to use these technological advancements as they seem to be part of our everyday lives. However its important that children do learn not to rely on digital workings as a means of getting by. For example the idea that people will reach for a calculator before using there brain. This shows the negitives of new technoligies whilst many encourage simulation quite often their a means of taking the lazy way out.
The best way to 'stretch' children in education is not to make the work seem like so much work. Interactivity and making things fun play a vital part in the learning process. Prensky, himself goes as far as to say that children would learn algebra quicker and easier through a game format.

However there is a obvious counter-arguement to this. It's important that teachers and school systems don't push students over the edge. I know (whilst now comparing them my work now were far easier) that durning my GCSE's, i felt under pressure to do well, whether it was from my parents or the fact that teachers bombare you with practice-tests and then stick a pridected grade on your fore-head!! So now you have something to live up to.!!

Overall thought if a relaxed approach is taken towards education, its only going to encourage the couch potato phenomena.

Abstract on journal 5

This journal faces the argument of educators being the digital immigrants having to learn and adapt to the new generation of the 21st century (the natives). The author specifically focuses on digital programmes and their use to digital immigrants. Such as the programme Advanced Placement Language and Composition, he discusses what this incorporates and furthermore addressed the gap between students and teachers. Suggesting that if this technology is successful it can help the digital immigrants on the world thrive in this new environment.

Abstract on Journal 4

This journal looks at “Digital Pioneers’, involving electronic realities and the environments available online. Using theorists knowledge the author applies the ideas of digital natives and digital immigrants to classroom. With a heavy emphasises on education and the student, the author argues the meaning behind these two terms and suggests they are not entirely correct

Abstract on Journal 3

This article specifically explores the female roles, issues and problems arising form online activity. Using feminists theories and a study case involving 16 Canadian girls it looks to investigate female online activity and the role of relationships, gender issues and inequalities whilst discovering the online world

Abstract on Journal 2

This journal takes a look at the youthful generations and the vast amount of opportunities that are put to them through the use of new technologies. It looks into how young people are adapting and transforming these ever-changing online experiences, such as ‘facebook’ and ‘myspace’. It also takes into considerations of inside and outside school experiences.

Abstract on Journal One

This journal looks at what is ‘New Media’ and who the ‘New audiences’ of this new media is. Firstly it explores the introduction and advancement of digital technologies, and the growth of popularity in households. However she questions what is new about New media and the effect of it on culture. Comparing that of the technological timescale and that of social change, the author Sonya Livingstone makes a compelling argument about how the two can never coincide. She argues whether the process of appropriation, whether the introduction of unfamiliar objects affects pre-existing social practices and the parent/child relationship

five different academic articles dealing with the notion of young people's facility with the new world of converged media

Livingstone, S (1999), ‘New Media, New Audience’, New Media and Society Vol.1 pg 59- 68, http://nms.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/1/1/59 (Accessed 12/03/09)


Adlington and Hansford (2009), ‘Digital Spaces and young people's online authoring: Challenges for teachers’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy Vol 32, http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=7&sid=9a75c748-f7f3-478a-a904-003ac02809d3%40SRCSM2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=36428102 (Accessed on 12/03/09)

Kelly, D et al. (2006), ‘No Boundaries? Girls’ Interactive, Online Learning About Femininity's'’ Youth and Society Vol 38, pg 3-28http://yas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/38/1/3 (Accessed 12/03/09)

Glogowski, K (2005), ‘Blog of proximal development: Teaching. Blogging. Learning - Digital Pioneers?’ http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/2005/08/01/literacy-in-the-digital-age-part-ii/ (12/03/09)
Adams, D (2008) ‘Gaga for Google in the Twenty-First Century Advanced Placement Language Classroom’ Clearing House Vol 82, Issue. 2. pg 96-98, http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ816791&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ816791 (12/03/09)

Website URL'S. The websites i have used to discuss this subject of digital immigrants!

http://technologysource.org/article/digital_natives_digital_immigrants/

http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

http://www.twitchspeed.com/site/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.htm

http://www.malts.ed.ac.uk/staff/sian/natives_final.pdf

http://henryjenkins.org/2007/12/reconsidering_digital_immigran.html

'Digital Immigration'.

Digital immigration is sourced from the discontinuity between generations. Suggesting that those that are now representing the first generations growing up with this new technology, (digital natives) surrounded by virtual games and digital music players are ahead of digital immigrations and are a more advantaged generation.
The important distinction to make is digital immigrants have not been brought up with the internet and all these digital advancements and as a result are more illiterate. There are a distinguished group that learn these skills at a later stage in their lives. It is suggested that today’s “older folk were ‘socialised’ differently from their kids and are now in the process of learning a new language.” (http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf)

A lot of people care about digital Immigration, as at this moment and time it is this generation of digital immigrates that are teaching in education today. Therefore it could be suggested that these instructors are speaking an out-dated language and as a result struggle to keep up with this new generation of people, these are the thoughts of Marc Prensky.
One theorist, Timothy VanSlyke, even suggested that students are the digital native and the tutors are the digital immigrant, and this will not change no matter what.

It is important to note, that in today’s world communicate relies heavily upon this new digital age. Therefore perhaps this older generation of digital immigrants will not only be left behind but left out and miss out on vital needs of everyday life.