I think Prensky writes a very commanding article. So does Jenkins. But both men speak outside of their own personal experience. I wonder what a young student, say perhaps a 7th grade girl, would have to say about the use of digital technology in learning. She would probably say, I use the computer to research assignments, print my homework, talk to my friends, play games, go on the internet, and e-mail people…but we don’t really use it too much at school.
Typical middle-schools have one or two medium sized computer labs (20-30) computers, that all classes have to share. Computer lab time must be scheduled. As a result, students maybe spend a half hour to one hour a week on a computer at school.
The best line in any article was Prensky’s closer. Administrators have to support technology in the classroom. Arguing about the validity of immigrants to the digital age, as Jenkins does, is a moot point. The technology is here, it’s being used in every sector of society to expedite processes and offer limitless storage of ideas and information. Binary is the new language and computers are the tongue. But, as Prensky says, administrators must support technology in the classroom. It does no good to argue about the validity of digital natives vs. digital immigrants in a classroom that can’t afford computers.