Are you a native or an immigrint?

[Gaz6002]

Shock title - but I'm not talking about race, religion or creed. I'm talking about technology.

 

Do you consider yourself a native to the technological era or an immigrint? Have you learnt to live with computers or have you grown up around them?

 

I imagine most people will say they immigrated due to the age of the audience we're talking about (you guys) but then let me ask you this: What about your kids?

 

I think this article raises some important questions about how the youth of today perceives learning.

 

Have we as a nation finally realised that generation by generation we are becoming more and more shallow? Should there be imposed limits to the technology available to children in school, so as to help them develop proper social interaction skills or should we embrace all new technology as the future and learn to live with it?

 

 

My personal feelings on this are as follows:

1. I don't think kids should be allowed to use computers for schoolwork. I think they should be made to rely on the written word and hence to learn to express the words in context and in the right order. I think this is missing nowadays due to the "spellcheck generation".
   
2. I believe kids should be familiar with technology - maybe even more so than adults in some instances - but they should be taught how to use these mediums correctly and how to stay objective.
   
3. I feel to some extent that my age range (20-25) is right on the edge of the transition between native and immigrint. There are obviously going to be some exceptions but that's my take on things.
   

I think the most interesting quote in the article is as follows:

“Because they have been using digital technology all their lives, our children feel they have authority over it,” says Rose Luckin. “But technology cannot teach them to reflect upon and evaluate the information they are gathering online. For that, the role of teachers and parents remains fundamentally important. You are in the hot seat. They still need you to open that conversation.”

 

So, what are peoples thoughts on this? Are we denying our kids vital interactional skills by smothering them in the interweb or are we embracing a new generation and all it has to offer?

[keancy]

I have thought myself all the Computer skills I have got over some years . The closest to modern technology I got as a Kid was a game boy

 

My kids on the other hand are whizzes on all gadgets around. Hubby got a new mobile other day and had no idea how to work certain features. I said give it to our Daughter (15) who figured everything out within 2 minutes of fiddling with the thing.

[JustGav]

I'm 32, I grew up with them...Had my first ZX81 at 4 and just progressed from there. I now working in the industry and have done all my life apart from a slight change of career for 12 months...

 

My kids at home are exposed to technology pretty much 24/7, with the house being fully cat5 wired, layer 7 firewalls filtering content and multiple pc's in each room in some fashion or other.

 

While I don't mind them using them for school work, I do check it for 'copy and paste' style so from that aspect it is a research tool. Games are only played on the consoles and not on any of the PCs.

[supra_aero]

Games are only played on the consoles and not on any of the PCs.

 

whys that gav? Thought having a networked house would be haven for friends around and world of warcraft etc.

[Gaz6002]

 

My kids at home are exposed to technology pretty much 24/7, with the house being fully cat5 wired, layer 7 firewalls filtering content and multiple pc's in each room in some fashion or other.

 

 

I had hoped you'd answer actually Gav due to your knowledge of the industry.

 

So basically you censor a lot of what your kids are exposed to at home to make sure technology is used only in the right ways. This seems the best idea to me but doesn't it worry you that you're probably one out of 10000 that know what should or even can be done? It does me.

 

I'm reading a book by Ben Elton right now that deals with this issue to the absolute extreme. I'd recommend it if this subject is of interest.

[bolarbag]

I dont see the problem with it, I reckon we have to look at it in a more unorthodox way...lets face it where has the Degrees and being more 'intelligent' in terms of vocabulary e.t.c got us today - were all just another clog in the chain - probably why were all driving supras:innocent:

 

I agree they should be taught how to use new technology, but we should embrace it within schools, not sheild them away

 

The only thing that worries me is the misuse - you could have a computer literate person (Which I believe we all should be these days) with skills that are only used to surf bebo, facebook, e.t.c

 

But if thats how they want to express themselves thats up to them, hopefully they are given other options aswell though

 

IMHO we and technology would evolve more if skills in certain areas were noticed from a young age and developed upon, rather than be given the choice, spending pointless years in school/college and uni only to drop out

[R Black]

Interesting topic, i have found on my travels home & abroad, socially kids/ adolescents are better off without over exposure to technology, and more outdoor activities. However it is at a young age when we soak up info so exposure is definately needed, but there has to be a balance, which i think is lacking in our cities, i would imagine its somewhat better out in the sticks.

I am somewhat older than yourself Gaz but i am comfortable with technology & have always embraced it.

[Scott]

Taking this into consideration:

 

NATIVES v IMMIGRANTS

 

Digital natives

Like receiving information quickly from multiple media sources.

Like parallel processing and multi-tasking.

Like processing pictures, sounds and video before text.

Like random access to hyperlinked multimedia information.

Like to network with others.

Like to learn “just in time”.

 

Digital immigrants

Like slow and controlled release of information from limited sources.

Like singular processing and single or limited tasking.

Like processing text before pictures, sounds and video.

Like to receive information linearly, logically and sequentially.

Like to work independently.

Like to learn “just in case”.

 

I would have to say that i am a Native as i can tick most of the boxes. I do like to work independently though and i do like to learn just for the hell of it.

 

As for the article it seems more focused on the internet than actual digital technology. I have had computers since the age of 4 (48k spectrum) and my house is filled with technology. I have not made a career out of it though as i only really took an interest in modern computing when the internet really took off in the late 90's. My cousin was browsing the net in the very very early 90's (possibly sooner i don't remember) when it was all mailbox things or something like that (Again i don't remember).

 

The trouble now with learning seems to come from the internet, not the actual technology. I do agree that a lot more written work should be done though. Computers are handy for final draughts in English and any computer study courses but other than that they should be left out and handwriting should be taking place.

 

I think i'm lucky, i must be kind of stuck between being a native and being an immigrant. My kids on the other hand....

[Gaz6002]

Interesting topic, i have found on my travels home & abroad, socially kids/ adolescents are better off without over exposure to technology, and more outdoor activities. However it is at a young age when we soak up info so exposure is definately needed, but there has to be a balance, which i think is lacking in our cities, i would imagine its somewhat better out in the sticks.

I am somewhat older than yourself Gaz but i am comfortable with technology & have always embraced it.

 

So how do you see them as better off? Do you mean that on a social interaction level or in terms of future propects for employment?

 

I think the point about the balance is the crux of the matter, but how do you enforce that realistically? I think the moment the government intervene there will be huge uproar - but this isn't necessarily such a bad thing. The more information young people are exposed to, the more likely it is that the information will be mis-leading, corrupt or even totally wrong. There does need to be some regulation if things carry on the way they are, but where would that come from? Parents or from a higher level (the dreaded Nanny State)?

[Scott]

So how do you see them as better off? Do you mean that on a social interaction level or in terms of future propects for employment?

 

I think the point about the balance is the crux of the matter, but how do you enforce that realistically? I think the moment the government intervene there will be huge uproar - but this isn't necessarily such a bad thing. The more information young people are exposed to, the more likely it is that the information will be mis-leading, corrupt or even totally wrong. There does need to be some regulation if things carry on the way they are, but where would that come from? Parents or from a higher level (the dreaded Nanny State)?

 

I agree with what most of you guys are saying but the thing to realise is the kids aren't going to be adults in the same environment as us. The world is contsantly evolving and technology is coming on in leaps and bounds.

 

Let me put it to you this way, i guess i would be labeled under the TV and MTV generation. Did you ever hear your grandparents comment on how bad TV was and general technology rants about making things and all that jazz?

 

Its just evolution. Of course it has to be controlled for social development. For example i went walks with my Papa and he showed me how to make things such as kites etc and i did the same sort of activities with my Dad. I think much of the problem is the parents lack of drive to get their kids out and about and really living instead of sitting on a PC/console.

 

I will actively try to challenge any of my children the same way my family tried to challenge me (and keep me away from my spectrum for at least a few hours a day lol).

[Gaz6002]

I agree with what most of you guys are saying but the thing to realise is the kids aren't going to be adults in the same environment as us. The world is contsantly evolving and technology is coming on in leaps and bounds.

 

 

Apprecitated - it's all about the progression of humanity. I'm concerned we're breeding a generation of people who know a little about a lot but not a lot about anything.

 

Your approach sounds like Gavs - you understand the implications and act to keep the traditional aspects in place. How long before this outlook is seen as "old school" though?

[Scott]

Your approach sounds like Gavs - you understand the implications and act to keep the traditional aspects in place. How long before this outlook is seen as "old school" though?

 

I guess that all depends on how many parents see the potential problem and act upon it.

 

OH NO! I've just realised, were turning into America!

[Gaz6002]

I guess that all depends on how many parents see the potential problem and act upon it.

 

OH NO! I've just realised, were turning into America!

 

it appears so.

[stevie_b]

Interesting topic. I get concerned about the reliance upon online knowledge sources (but then Deal or No Deal comes on the telly and I forget about it ). Wikipedia is sometimes taken as gospel, but it shouldn't be.

 

We should never lose track of basic reading, writing and face-to-face communication skills. There will always be room in an office for a notebook and pen.

[tbourner]

Gaz and Scott, interesting points, and I think it is the balance that's important. The future will obviously be filled with technology, to the point where life will become impossible without it whereas now it's just quite difficult to do anything without it, so kids do need to be quite heavily immersed in it now. But should they be so immersed that they forget how to write by hand? What effect would this really have assuming the whole world is run by technology that will never break down? If it did ever break down the human race would no longer know how to bring itself back, if it didn't break down would we therefore just be slaves (Matrix style)?

[Tricky-Ricky]

I am definitely an immigrant, had one of those Sinclair ZX Spectrum things, a tape to load data:blink: but i think i have integrated quite well as i like tech gadgets etc.

I was brought up in an era when homework was done in a quiet room with nothing more than a pen and a dictionary, i couldn't believe it when even ten years ago my daughter couldn't do here homework without a calculator, they just make things too easy for current generations, my wife frequently prints of pages from Wikipedia for here friends 7 year old, for homework:blink:

[Gaz6002]

Gaz and Scott, interesting points, and I think it is the balance that's important. The future will obviously be filled with technology, to the point where life will become impossible without it whereas now it's just quite difficult to do anything without it, so kids do need to be quite heavily immersed in it now. But should they be so immersed that they forget how to write by hand? What effect would this really have assuming the whole world is run by technology that will never break down? If it did ever break down the human race would no longer know how to bring itself back, if it didn't break down would we therefore just be slaves (Matrix style)?

 

That's the bit that scares me. What happens when all the electricities run out? If everyone socialised with each other solely through the internet then what would happen when it all breaks down? And worse, like you say, what if it doesn't?! Sooner or later we'll have a situation where everyone depends on the same few things and we are compelled to act in the same way as everyone else. All of a sudden you have a situation where creativity (thinking "out of the box") is discouraged and having your own Facebook page is compulsary so everyone can see what you're doing at all times. Privacy is seen as perversion by the masses and people are told not to keep secrets from anyone. What would be left for humans to achieve? I know that's a bit extreme, but my train of thought is quite developed on this subject as I've thought about and discussed it with many people.

[stevie_b]

I am definitely an immigrant, had one of those Sinclair ZX Spectrum things, a tape to load data:blink: but i think i have integrated quite well as i like tech gadgets etc.

I was brought up in an era when homework was done in a quiet room with nothing more than a pen and a dictionary, i couldn't believe it when even ten years ago my daughter couldn't do here homework without a calculator, they just make things too easy for current generations, my wife frequently prints of pages from Wikipedia for here friends 7 year old, for homework:blink:

 

I agree. We had a BBC Micro in the home (took 6 mins to load a good game by tape!) when I was growing up. But like you, technology was not used for homework.

 

Do kids these days still have to pass a mental maths test as part of their GCSEs? I know I did. I realised I was getting over-reliant on my calculator so I wrote a computer program on the BBC to fire random maths sums at me.

[Gaz6002]

Do kids these days still have to pass a mental maths test as part of their GCSEs?

 

I'm sure I read somewhere they aren't graded on spelling ability anymore...

[tbourner]

Do kids these days still have to pass a mental maths test as part of their GCSEs? I know I did. I realised I was getting over-reliant on my calculator so I wrote a computer program on the BBC to fire random maths sums at me.

 

That was a common argument when I was at school, but try working out the cosine of 26.3 in your head!!!

[stevie_b]

That was a common argument when I was at school, but try working out the cosine of 26.3 in your head!!!

 

Granted, that would be difficult! When I had to do it it was limited to integer multiplication, addition, subtraction and division. The justification for testing this is so that children aren't 100% reliant on tapping buttons on a calculator (and hence have no protection against Fat Fingers). People should have alarm bells ringing if their calculator tells them that, e.g. 5.7 * 4.3 = 45.4.

[Thorin]

I was using BBC Micro's and POKE'ing around on ZX80's before some members on here were even born.

 

Oh and back then all this were nowt but fields.

[Gaz6002]

I was using BBC Micro's and POKE'ing around on ZX80's before some members on here were even born.

 

Oh and back then all this were nowt but fields.

 

So... are you immigrint or native?

[Thorin]

So... are you immigrint or native?

 

I am the original native.

[Gaz6002]

I am the original native.

 

You are the Adam of the multimedia age.