ERIC Number: ED565063
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Apr
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
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EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Critically Evaluating Prensky in a Language Learning Context: The "Digital Natives/Immigrants Debate" and Its Implications for CALL
Benini, Silvia; Murray, Liam
Research-publishing.net, Paper presented at the 2013 EUROCALL Conference (Évora, Portugal, Sep 11-14, 2013)
More than 10 years have passed since the first introduction of the term "digital natives" in Prensky's (2001a, 2001b) two seminal articles. Prensky argues that students today, having grown up in the Digital Age, learn differently from their predecessors, or "digital immigrants". As such, the pedagogical tools and methods used to educate the Natives are outdated. Consequently, many educational professionals became convinced that the ways in which today's students think and learn have been qualitatively changed by their use of information and communication technology (ICT). Indeed, the analogy introduced by Prensky is very appealing, however, no significant empirical evidence exists to support this conjecture and neither facts nor evidence tested in everyday practice have been provided. This paper aims to critically examine the underlying "digital native" theory by reviewing some recent studies questioning the existence of digital natives and presenting some of the current findings from a major case study. The study involves Irish secondary school students and their approach and use of new technologies for language learning. By monitoring and interviewing the students and their teachers, it is intended to provide evidence and information to reflect on some key topics such as the use of ICT for language learning during and outside the class, the analysis of students' skills (as putative digital natives) within language learning, and the attitude of teachers and tutors toward technologies. Overall, it is intended to examine if the current evidence resulting from this study validates Prensky's digital native theory. [For full proceedings, see ED565044.]
Descriptors: Computer Assisted Instruction, Second Language Learning, Theories, Case Studies, Secondary School Students, Foreign Countries, Technology Uses in Education, Secondary School Teachers, Computer Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Computer Literacy, Mixed Methods Research, Questionnaires, Semi Structured Interviews, Focus Groups
Research-publishing.net. La Grange des Noyes, 25110 Voillans, France. e-mail: info@research-publishing.net; Web site: http://research-publishing.net
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A