Mr. Pacheco's reflection and the Marc Prensky readings

Marc Prensky presents a unique and explorative look into the future of education and I can’t help but agree with his claim that we, the teachers, must find ways to evolve and accommodate to the students, rather than expect them to accommodate for us. With each passing year, an increasing number Digital Natives are entering our school systems and we need to find ways to engage them. Prensky’s term “Digital Native” brings forth another question to comprehend: Am I a “Digital Native” or a “Digital Immigrant”?
After reading and reflecting, I would classify myself as a Digital Immigrant. As I grow older and become more susceptible to the influence of technology, I inch closer and closer to becoming a Digital Native. When it comes to technology, I am often behind the curve. For example, I was the last one of my friends to get a cell phone. Heck, I was the last one in my family to get one. I completely understand the usefulness and need for a cell phone, but I am not attached to it. I was also the last of my friends to buy a computer and the last to get a laptop. And when it comes to editing my research papers and whatnot, I struggle to edit without holding a physical copy of it.
But I understand Prensky’s stance on Digital Natives and why we, as educators, must cater to them to provide a beneficial and supportive educational experience. The world is changing so rapidly, technologically speaking, and humanity is struggling so hard to keep up. We need to cater to their needs. Tomorrow’s students no longer find solace in lecture, reading and independent projects and assignments. As Prensky writes, “It is now clear that as a result of this ubiquitous environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors.” The way people think and process information is constantly evolving and the evolutionary process is sped up with technology and we need to find a way to capitalize on this.
While I agree with Prensky’s notion of catering to students and developing curriculum for tomorrow’s technologically savvy students, I don’t agree with Prensky’s claim that Digital Immigrants believe certain technology don’t cater to student learning. Prenksy claims, “Digital Immigrants don’t believe their students can learn successfully while watching TV or listening to music, because they (the Immigrants) can’t.” This is a ridiculous claim, because this is precisely how everyone learns. Television and music play a beneficial role in education and they should be embraced in the classroom. Granted a student might not learn a great deal from MTV’s programming, they will inherently learn something from watching. Additionally, the anti-war music of the Vietnam War Era played a significant role in educating hundreds of thousands of people as to what was going on in Vietnam.
While I might fail to comprehend the Prensky’s claim that TV and Music are not beneficial to the educational experience, I agree with his notion that we need to change to benefit the students. “So if Digital Immigrant educators really want to reach Digital Natives – i.e. all their students – they will have to change. It’s high time for them to stop their grousing, and as the Nike motto of the Digital Native generation says, ‘Just do it!’ They will succeed in the long run – and their successes will come that much sooner if their administrators support them.”
As a Digital Immigrant, I need to cater my classroom to benefit the increasing number of Digital Natives. I need to find creative ways to stimulate student learning and increase productivity in an ever-changing educational environment. I need to work diligently toward technological bliss. I need to become a Digital Native.