Week 9/10 - What difference would this make to a digital divide - B

The internet has enabled for people to be connected all over the world which we’ve looked into the over the last few weeks of blogging, i.e. online learning, virtual communities, online relationships etc. yet when we look at Wenger’s Community of Practice, the digital divide disable from everyone being part of an online community if they have limited or no access at all. This is just as applicable to the factor of online learning from a global perspective. In the journal I looked at in the a) section of this question, by Newholm, T et al, they proposed 4 different types of community in terms of their ICT skills being taught in a community – Learning community, Excluded community, Individuated society, elsewhere concerned. These four types all differ in the amount of time and access they have to a learning community, and Brady would describe ‘elsewhere concerned’ as having bigger problems that getting connected to the internet. Therefore is this diminishing and dividing the digital divide further by neglecting those without access.
In terms of online communities too, as the number of internet users is increasing, Davies and Crabtree would argue the internet is becoming ‘more local’, (2004) and research has been undertaken to show that technology is also coming to communities as well as communities going global. Now although this shows globally how societies are able to advance, there is still nothing accommodating the digital divide. Communities of Practice are still not available to everyone globally because of access issues, and digital immigrants wouldn’t be able to teach digital natives through video games for the same reasons. An advantage of online communities is that they connect people with similar cultural views, interests in a wide range of factors globally, but the digital divide still restricts this notion is fulfilling its extent within online community.

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Week 9/10 - How might Wenger's notions on practice communities relate to Prensky's on education?

Both Wenger and Prensky notions relate to each other in the sense that both ideas are promoting online learning. They both also relate to the fact that there is a ‘teacher’ and then ‘students’, maybe more so Prensky but Wenger still maintains there is a hierarchy of knowledge to some extent. There is also the factor that within these two concepts where education is becoming more relatable to students because it’s trying to educate in a way that is enjoyable, therefore creating educational strategies to accommodate and relate to students in the most effective way.

However, is education supposed to link in with enjoyable social activities? Although online learning has many advantages, if merged with social activities will the difference between education and socialisation become fused and objectives clouded?

This may be clutching at straws, but could socio-determinism also be a factor that relates to both Prensky and Wenger’s notions? Socio-determinism allows for Communities of Practice to exist online as it isn’t determined by a higher company or organisation. Furthermore, the notion of digital natives and immigrants wouldn’t be as apparent if as a society, the younger generations weren’t shaping technologies in ways to accommodate themselves.

However, with Prensky’s notion in mind, how easy is it to teach ‘digital natives’ if the teachers aren’t up to date on what they are using to aid their teaching?

Week 9 - Someone who threatens the notion of Digital Immigration...

A family friend of mine is 35 years old (Bill) – therefore Prensky would describe him as a ‘Digital Immigrant.’ I am 20 years old - therefore I would be described by Prensky as a ‘Digital Native.’ However Bill has more technological knowledge and capabilities than me. He also has a need for technology more than me, for example the minute the iPhone was available, he had one. That’s not to say I wouldn’t want one, but the ‘newest’ technology isn’t something I would say I keep religiously up to date with, unlike Bill.

Therefore, Prensky’s opposite notions have been swapped around in terms of defining Bill and I, and surely this isn’t just an odd example. When it comes to Prensky’s definitions, was he too specific? And also too prominent in expecting ‘digital natives’ to immediately be technology whizz’s? as I’ve previously mentioned in last week’s blogs, maybe it doesn’t matter what age you are in terms of being able to grasp technological concepts, but older generations will always be aware of the fact they are being influenced therefore will be more conscious to resist?

Week 9 - The Youngest Digital Immigrant

The youngest digital immigrant is my Auntie, who is 28 years old. I have a large family with a lot of younger cousins who are constantly nudging her to get up to date with technology, but unlike other trying to learn the ‘new technology language’ my auntie refuses to learn it and uses more traditional means of communicating, gaining information etc. She still does her banking in meat space, if she wants to book a holiday – she’ll go into a travel agent, her job doesn’t need a computer as she’s a hair-dresser. Recently she bought her first mobile phone, but only so she can contact her kids when she’s out and a about, or visa versa. She only knows how to make and receive calls though, and hasn’t got a clue how to text.

How long will she be able to keep using traditional methods to go about her daily life, will technology soon take over completely and stop her from doing so?

Week 9 - The Oldest Digital Native

The oldest digital native I know is one of my friends from home, who goes to another University. They solely depend upon the internet to go about their daily lives; they use text messages and Facebook to interact more than they do it real life and use their laptop to make notes within a lecture. I think that my friend would fit into Prensky’s definition because the internet is her main source of information; she neglects other forms of information orientated media unless she really has to.

Prensky’s definitions are solely based on age, which isn’t applicable to everyone. Although not classed as a digital native, my granddad who is nearly 80 can text on a mobile just as quick as I can, and also uses the internet a considerable amount. He would quite possibly use the internet before going for print based media to find something out because it is just as convenient for him to look on the internet, as it is for digital natives.

Week 9 - Should education stretch a person?

Education should stretch a person, in the sense that it fulfils their potential. The reasons for education (in my opinion) are to provide goals for students to work hard to reach and or excel within their areas of study. Education is all about challenging individuals to reach their educational potential and to be prepared for life once they have gained their qualifications. The question that I ask here is, can new media accomplish this criterion for education? I see that social-determinism is playing a large role here in shaping what technology offers us. Therefore, is new media allowing us to learn in a way accommodated to our wants, rather than ‘stretching’ us in a way that education needs. By referring back to Prensky’s notion on teaching Digital Natives through video games, isn’t this merging two different factors in society together, i.e. education and out of school activities. Shouldn’t there be a clear distinction between these two factors so that students can learn to easily recognise the difference? If they are merged together I think it could possibly diverge away from what is expected from students as they become less aware they are learning and more complacent with playing video games.