Do Digital Natives exist?
A ‘digital native’ is defined as a person who was born into the widespread adoption of digital technology at an early age, these people were born in 1980 or after, anyone born before this year are considered ‘digital immigrants’.
I do believe personally that digital natives exist in today’s day and age as we are surrounded by technology and information easily accessible at the touch of a finger. As soon as we walk into a classroom these days it is prevalent that technology plays a big role in our education system. Compared to years ago during the educative years ‘digital immigrants’ grew up in we can compare the drastic differences, to gather information for a school project the students would have to go to their nearest libraries and spend countless hours researching to gather the adequate information they needed for it. Nowadays we walk into a classroom with countless computers, laptops, iPad’s, smartphones and other technologies that all students are able to access at a touch of a finger and have an endless supply of information and facts.
One point I would like to argue and consider that not all 36 year olds and younger can be considered digital natives in our world. As some countries are very well off, there are third world countries that aren’t living in the conditions we do and do not have access to the internet and technologies let alone clean water and food. These people would not be considered digital natives as they do not have the resources and support from the outside sources like we fortunate.
Although the older generation can be in denial about digital natives and themselves being digital immigrants, digital natives are a thing of today and for many generations to come and continue to rapidly grow and be a driving force in education.