It's a Book

After viewing Digital Nation, I couldn’t help thinking about a book I recently read.  “It’s a Book,” written by Lane Smith, humorously illustrates some of the differences between digital immigrants and digital natives as revealed in the Frontline video.  “It’s a Book” pits these two groups against each other.  There are three characters in Lane’s story, one of whom has never before seen a physical book with a cover and pages to turn (digital native).  Upon seeing the two individuals (the immigrants) looking at this oddity, the native asks a lot of questions.  What is it and how does it work?  Where do you plug it in?  How do you blog on it?  Can you text with it?  Clearly he doesn’t get it.  Although this is a picture book, its intended audience is not young children; the colorful name the immigrants call the “clueless” native at the end of the story gives that away.  It also suggests that the author prefers a good old fashion paper bound book to an electronic reader.   

Smith’s book pokes fun at the divide which exists between most digital natives and immigrants, a divide explored in Digital Nation.  I appreciate the differing opinions of students and educators as they address the ways in which our children, youth and adults engage one another and the world, especially in an educational setting.  This divide begs a lot of questions.  Do you integrate technology into the classroom and, if so, how?  Should teachers tailor their lessons to fit the multi-tasking, instant access, always plugged in and connected reality of their students?  Should students have to “power down” and focus their attention on just one task?  Can people who multi-task really engage a topic on a deep level? 

These questions were not as important when I was in school.  I entered college in 1993.  At the time, I was assigned my first e-mail address.  I brought along my state of the art Macintosh computer which had a 25 megahertz processor.  The internet, as we know it, did not exist.  Seven years would pass before I purchased my first mobile phone.  So much has changed in so little time.  I don’t recognize or, frankly, understand all of the ways in which today’s students utilize technology in their everyday lives.  And I must admit that my gut reaction is to echo the concerns of my fellow digital immigrants who worry that there will be tremendous fallout from this digital revolution.  And yet, I am drawn to the statement made by Professor Henry Jenkins of USC, when he addressed those who suggest there will be a heavy price to pay for all of our technological gain.  “This is not a new issue,” he said, rather “a period of evolution.  And at the end of the day, as a society we are better off if we approach this with a sense of open mindedness and exploration.” 

Every generation must address this reality.  The world is changing.  Perhaps it is changing at a faster rate than in generations past, but we still have to face facts.  Are we just going to get angry like the digital immigrants in Smith’s book or are we going to be open to the new possibilities this evolution has to offer?  And, just as importantly, if we are open, will we utilize these advances in ways that enhance how and what our students learn?  Today I’m hoping for the latter.