Digital Native or Digital Immigrant?

According to Marc Prensky, a “Digital Native” is anyone around the age to be in college (as of 2001) or younger. These people have grown up in the digital age where they have always had some form of technology accessible to them. They play more video games and watch more TV than they do reading books. They go to the internet as a first option when researching rather than a book or another person. They prefer to play games rather than doing actual work. A “Digital Immigrant” is someone in older generations who did not grow up with things such as the internet or computers readily available. Instead, they have had to adopt these into their lives much later and had to learn to use them after having already lived life without them. They appreciate a good book or long walks outside more than the average Joe who was born later than the ’80s. 

Using the age definition, I technically fall under the classification of Digital Native. I was born the year Prensky wrote his paper. I grew up with a laptop computer always on the kitchen counter and the TV remote available for surfing the channels to see if anything good was on. Every day before getting on the bus, I would turn on the TV and watch a few episodes of whatever was on Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon that day. However, I have a problem with this classification for myself.

 The main issue I have is I see myself somewhere between Prensky’s Digital Native and Immigrant. I know how to use the computer and easily do research on a paper I have with the click of a button. I do spend a fair bit of time watching TV. The problem is, I am completely lost when it comes to a lot of modern technology. I can figure out how to turn on an electronic by pushing the on button, but if it’s some interface I have never seen before, I can be totally lost. I’m also not glued to my phone nearly as much as I used to be. In high school, I used to spend upwards of 10 hours a day on my phone. However, now I spend less than 2 hours a day maximum on my phone and a lot o that is related to schoolwork. I much prefer to hang out and have actual conversations with people, looking them in the eyes and actually being present.

 I think if you ask anyone what a “digital native” would be today, I can almost guarantee you they would describe the kind of person I aspire to never be. They are glued to their screens, never look up, and spend every waking hour scrolling through Pinterest, posting on Facebook, or watching YouTube videos of people playing video games. Just this past weekend I went to a wedding and during the ceremony, the man in front of me had a football game on his phone which was sitting in his lap the entire time. My boyfriend’s brother and his wife seem to always be on their phones. Whenever we go to dinner at their mother’s house, those two seem to never look up from their phones, even if they are talking to someone. I don’t think I can recall a single time when I have seen them look each other in the eyes aside from their wedding day. That saddens me. I can’t help but think today’s digital natives who are getting married may not be able to even describe what their partner looks like in vivid detail. I remember seeing a video a few years ago of a young couple, addicted to screens, that could not describe their partner to a professional sketch artist.

This is why I have an issue with being classified as a Digital Native, especially in today’s society. I do not like being associated with that kind of behavior and mindset. I do know how to use basic applications like Microsoft Office or PowerPoint, but I am not addicted to gaming and I would not prefer watching videos over doing actual work as Prensky seems to suggest. I only use my phone when talking to a friend or family member who lives far away. I can do complex math problems without a computer. I can do simple addition without a calculator which seems to be something most young people can’t. 

Anyway, thank you for reading my post today. Have a great morning, afternoon, evening, or night. Go enjoy some fresh air or talk to your partner/friend/roommate/cat/goldfish without the distraction of a screen. Take note of something enjoyable you say today, and try to leave the phone behind.

*None of these photos are mine, they have all been taken from the public domain