The Myth of the Digital Native

Josephine Fraser links to this brief criticism of Prensky's digital native metaphor. I find the metaphor appealing, but as with all generalisations, it is not without limitation. For instance immigrants vary in the degree to which they assimilate into the prevailing culture, a fact which holds true for immigrants landing in a digital new world and it is here that Owen takes issue with Prensky's neat dichotomy.

Owen disputes Prensky's observations and contends diversity, rather than dichotomy, situates this cultural change and that digital technology will allow the customisation that will ultimately accommodate that diversity. All valid points, but has the simplicity and appeal of Prensky's metaphor obscured his main message—a call for educational change:

"…unless we want to just forget about educating Digital Natives until they grow up and do it themselves, we had better confront this issue. And in so doing we need to reconsider both our methodology and our content."

A message I have written about a lot recently. Prensky prefers computer games; I am curious about the potential of storytelling.