ThingLink - Digital Citizenship |
Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives Spectrum |
|
I'm a Digital Native. I was born in 1985 (which technically make me a millennial) so digital technology in some form was present throughout my schooling from a fairly young age. However, I'm not entirely sure that I would call myself an Enthusiastic Participant. Rather, I'm a full participant with a trend toward minimalist. I say this because while I have accounts on Twitter and Facebook that I use everyday, I avoid things like Instagram, Reddit, Linked In, and other popular social media formats. Only recently have come prefer texting as opposed to making phone calls. At the end of the day, I still prefer face-to-face meetings rather than video conferencing or digital communication. I don't like multitasking. The first thing I do when I get to school in the morning is write down a "To-Do List" on a post-it note. I complete these tasks one-by-one; not exactly high-tech.
I find few things in life more annoying than those who obsess over new technology. What kind of person would wait in line for the new iPhone? My Fitbit works fine, why do I need the new model? The computer I'm typing this entry on was only purchased because my other laptop is 10+ years old and not suitable for online education. I'm far more enthusiastic about technology today than I was only a few years ago. The primary reason for this is that I'm beginning to see the value web 2.0 can play in education. If I'm going to keep up with the needs of my students, which includes being able to relate with them and speak their language then I have to adjust. Technology doesn't come easy to me (although my older colleagues think I'm a guru), but like all Professional Development keeping up with technology takes effort, time, and energy. |