I have already touched upon the main point of this post in a previous posting. I believe that there is no such thing as a digital native and a digital immigrant. As people will never be digital natives, as technological advances are changing constantly as well as their relevance in people's lives. People will constantly have to adapt to the new "environment" of technology.
I dont think I know anyone that I know threatens this notion, because I do not think it truly exsists. Especially as I think everyone was once a digital native when it comes to things involving Web 2.0. I think that I'm a prime example of this. I do not pick up new technology well, however, with time and lots of useage I eventually get used to technology, however, I think this is because me (and others) have to, to get along in modern life. Especially at university. People retain their "accent" when becoming a digital native and therefore no one will ever be a full digital immigrant.
If one was to consider this notion as exsisting, I think any adult in their 40s that even know how to use the internet threatens this idea, because they were once an immigrant and are gradually becoming natives. So, I think that no one is really a native or an immigrant in the digital world.
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Generally, I think I'm with you on the 'is it real' question of DN-ism. I also agree that being at home with technology isn't simply a digital issue.
ReplyDeleteBut it seems to have accelerated in the last 15yrs. And nowadays software means that how things work cannot be divined by their shape, knobs and levers. Any screen thing can do anything -hyper(text)uality dispenses with previous methods of predicting causality and leaves us with generic assumptions (can you programme a stranger's watch? -no, but I can fix it so a beep goes off at 2.30 in the morning without realising I'm doing it!)
Thus speaks a digital immigrant? -but we agree they don't exist!