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.

Disagreements with Journals

Journal one – The journal suggest that in the case of parent/child interaction, the parent may struggle to keep up, or interact with the child using the new technologies that has evolved in children’s toys. I think this is an over reaction, whilst I can see perhaps grandparent\ young child issues, I don’t think there is a big enough age gap between a young child and its parent to have such an impact or effect on their relationship. Most adults/ parents of today’s world, (digital immgrants) that have not grown up or with the new media world are now and have been for a number of years being pushed into using new technological advancements whether its in work or there everyday lives. Whilst parents often express their thoughts of ‘oh in my day we didn’t have that’ I don’t think it completely disables them from being interactive with new media.

Journal 2 – This journal states that “as schools increase the use of new technologies, and include sophisticated new texts to their student learning, old tested practices are inadequate and are rapidly becoming redundant. ” Ok so there is with out a doubt an element of truth here. However I do think it’s a rather strong point to make. I don’t think we’ll completely abandon all old practices of teaching, because at a majority of these ‘new’ style of teaching stems in some way from the old. As this statement could suggest that in the future, we all give up going to school and just work completely digitally from home, after all we will be able access all the relevant material!!! I personally don’t think this is either possible or going to happen. I think the old style methods of teaching, turning up to class being taught by a actual person incorporated alongside digital help will still be relevant. After all the education systems to the government are too important and people still need jobs.

Journal 3 - This journal talks about a case study therefore it simply says what they did and the results they gained from it. However they do make reference to perhaps why these results have occurred. One major point I have is, I don’t think they can make to many presumptions or state facts on a case study that only contained 16 girls from one place.

Journal 4 – This is a fairly goof journal, however am going to disagree with one the basic points made in the article “Students are always at the edge, looking in. The teacher is the source of all knowledge” Traditional everyone looked upon and understood the teacher to be the one person that holds all the knowledge. However in this day and age, there is heavy emphasises on interaction as opposed to the conventional sit and listen technique. Students have a lot to offer, in their own experiences, especially with the opportunities provided with new media.

Journal 5 – This journal is quite technical. It explains how programmes can be used to narrow the gap between the student and teacher. However, I think its important to understand that the introduction of new programs has to be learnt by both the student and the teacher. Whilst it suggests students are technologically advanced, there is still a learning process to be gone through.

Website 5

My final website is a blog and again is fairly up-to-date. Written in December 2007, the author has written an opinionated blog on his discomfort with the use of these phases digital immigrant and digital native. The blog explores where these phases came from.
The author does make reference to important theorist (Prensky) on this subject, however the article is more a copy/paste of a number of theorists work rather than his own.
However he does make some good points on how these terms help us “to recognize and respect the new kinds of learning and cultural expression” which have emerged from a the new generations of today.
The author is fairly negative towards these distinctions and feels of we continue to use them we are hindering ourselves by not being able to talk “meaningfully about the kinds of sharing that occurs between adults and children and we won't be able to imagine other ways that adults can interact with youth outside of these cultural divides.”

Overall an ok source but not particularly useful if your looking to find fact about the this topic, however useful in terms of finding differing attitudes to the terms.