Do the Natives really know best?

It was difficult for me to read this article and think that Prensky has any real involvement with children today. In "Listen to the Natives," he constantly urges us to ask our students what they want and incorporate that into technology in our schools, I think he forgets the maturity level and baggage that many of today's students bring to school. The opening quote, "School didn't teach me to read—I learned from my games. —A student" is an excellent example of the arrogance of some of our students. I also argue that it isn't solely up to America's educators to teach or train our students. Part of the reason our education system is failing lies with the adults who don't prepare their children.

Aside from that little soapbox, I found the theme that we must catch up to the technological abilities of our students to be beneficial. We cannot continue to teach according to old methods and think that our students will be engaged and retain all that we share in our classrooms. Prensky argues that "our young people generally have a much better idea of what the future is bringing than we do." I can't help but reflect on the Disney movie Wall-E. Let me share in case you haven't seen it. Earth is completely covered in our trash and while these Waste Allocation Load Lifters - Earth class (WALL-E) clean it up, humans live on huge space type boats for thousands of years. They are so reliant on technology that they no longer walk. Their movement is done through space chairs that have computer monitors attached. There is little thought or room to challenge. There is even a struggle between the Captain and the autopilot when he wants to do something against the computer's orders. We already have major concerns with childhood obesity and the lack of exercise they get. Most reports I have read or listened to attribute this not only to poor meals but their intense interest of computers and video games. Prensky may be on to something when he tells us to relate the students' out of school digital experiences to classroom work. But are we truly helping or only enabling potentially harmful behavior?

This generation of "digital natives" often feel entitled to everything they want and expect all adults to comply. We would have to assume that our students posses the same discipline as those in Europe, Japan or other countries listed in the article in order to implement the use of cell phones into curriculum. Not to mention that not all of our children have these items. I asked several of my Second and Third graders in Zion if they had a computer at home and the majority answered no. Some of them still can't grasp the concept of money. Yes a computer game could help with this, but we can't ignore that not all students are equal in technology.

Finally, as one who is learning to embrace technology, I hope to be the kind that uses it as best as possible in the classroom. I am neither a "digital native" nor a "digital immigrant." I prefer to only fall under the label of the "empathetic" teacher he says shouldn't be overlooked. Maybe when the day comes for me to lobby for equipment at my school, I will request Mr. Prensky make a donation and include this article as an attachment. Actions speak louder than words.