Friday, 13 March 2009

Week 8- Website Five- Part II

Doesn't the issue of age arise here? This would be much more applicable if the author is referring to young children, who do need the help of a teacher to explain things to them. However he does not mention anything about the digital native's age. His suggestion is to, rather than focusing on the development of computer applications that teach, 'create better tools for teachers, and then help teachers become better users of the tools.' (the tools being, of course, computers).
Again, I don't see how this would improve teaching. Surely preventing the digital natives from engaging in digital media, yet encouraging digital immigrants to do so is just being hypocritical? I don't think the answer lies to this boundry lies in keeping digital media from one group, and offering it to the other.

This said, the author does admit that he doesn't disagree with Prensky's arguments, rather than he disagrees with the types of changes that Prensky proposes (the idea that digital immigrants must learn to speak a new language in order to be effective teachers). The author seems to think that the most effective way is to prevent the increase of digital natives, for example by increasing the traditional methods of learning.

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