tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21077063.post5459165668988784523..comments2024-02-16T08:32:46.618+00:00Comments on Donald Clark Plan B: Prensky: game on - digital natives, immigrants and aliensDonald Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796341486328270474noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21077063.post-12255973269139823242013-03-04T18:47:37.436+00:002013-03-04T18:47:37.436+00:00I don't disagree that games can be great ways ...I don't disagree that games can be great ways to teach and learn. I do strongly disagree that this is a new concept, or that educators have not always used games to help make learning more engaging.<br />I also have to say I find the terms "digital native" and "digital immigrant" to be complete rubbish in terms of the implication that the "natives" are somehow more advanced than the "immigrants". Let us not forget that the digital revolution and digital age were built and ushered in by people who would be classified as "digital immigrants." Simply growing up surrounded by a particular object or technology does not make one an expert in its uses. What I see as the big difference between many digital natives and digital immigrants is that the immigrants appreciate the complexity inherent in building and using technology and the difficult and sustained thinking and laboring that go into its production, while the natives have no clue about all that, and just want it served up quickly and easily. It's similar to the way that most people are ignorant of the sources of their food and the labor that goes into bringing it to their tables. This kind of ignorance isn't merely annoying; it's a real danger to balanced and rational decision making. Dave_in_RInoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21077063.post-66819869733463484342013-02-24T13:49:23.701+00:002013-02-24T13:49:23.701+00:00There is quite a bit of literature on this now, th...There is quite a bit of literature on this now, this blog (of mine) has links to quite a bit of it. If you only have time read one, I recommend Helsper & Eynon as it contains research rather than critique.<br /><br />http://andytedd.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/digital-natives-millennials-myths/<br /><br />In particular this allows for a definition of digital native whic caters for those of using Interwebz before the WWW or any millenials were born...<br /><br />There is also some good reasearch being done by Chris Jones at OU (as you might expect) eg http://oro.open.ac.uk/30014/<br />http://oro.open.ac.uk/19890/<br /><br />This backs up mine and Prof Heppell's research at Bournemouth - we found that the students would far rather the establishment put its effort into getting essays marked on time and decent and timely feedback than adding more features to the VLE :). They are consumers of education and they are paying for a F2F experience.Andy Teddhttp://andytedd.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21077063.post-73464328879885831012013-02-22T22:12:51.110+00:002013-02-22T22:12:51.110+00:00A teacher of 16 years experience, I fully support ...A teacher of 16 years experience, I fully support everything in this article. Many students are becoming increasingly difficult to reach. They often show how they are able to learn detailed information and concepts through the medium of games.<br />I would recommend one particular resource as access is free but there are also premium accounts which are used to help fund the building of schools in developing countries (a single student account provides an incredible 190 bricks). The resource is called 'What2Learn' and has thousands of learning games.C Longhurstnoreply@blogger.com