Joe Hoffman
10/24/09
I am not a digital native, I can’t even figure out how to get on to the WebCT thing. The strange thing is that many of my closest friends are digital natives and we are the same age. I graduated from high school in the year 2000, a transitional period in digital history. Some of my friends were born into a world of digital technology but I certainly was not. I don’t view this to be a disadvantage in any way other than my ability to participate on the same level as the digital native.
I grew up in the country on 40 acres of forested land that was my personal playground. My father would not let a Nintendo in the home and I am glad he had this rul. I was able to enjoy video games at my friend’s houses but my real passion was for nature and real life adventure, hunting, fishing, exploring, and so on. I probably would not be anything close to the person I am today had my father not been so strict on this subject. Now that I am an adult and free to do as I will, I play video games often and enjoy them quite a bit however they don’t satisfy my real needs for real experiences.
My high school experience with technology was limited to using the computer to type papers, research a few things on the web, cell phones, and video games. I enjoyed games but my natural inclination towards most other forms of technology was one of resistance and reluctance. When I went to collage I found that with the maturation of the internet and its usefulness, it made school les difficult for me and I really began to embrace the change. I took courses with teachers that had us turn in papers on line and meet in group discussions in chat rooms and much more. I would say that the university system is much farther ahead of the high school and elementary school systems as far as submitting to the irreversible change that has occurred in our culture and especially our young students.
I did not need any convincing on this subject I am right there with Prensky when he says that “students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors”. As an art teacher I will have the opportunity to incorporate all kinds of technology in my class room and I fully intend to do so.