Digital natives versus digital immigrants
I would like to preface this blog post by saying that I do not agree with these terms, digital natives and digital immigrants. I understand that they are trying to convey the learning curves and nuances of growing up in the digital age versus experiencing this phenomenon while it happens. But I feel like using the term immigrant for people who are slower to grasp certain concepts is wrong and a bit derogatory.
I was born in 1991. I still remember a time with dial TVs, rotary phones, and VHSs. I also remember learning how to type with computer games in the first grade, required computer classes in middle school, and the change from dial-up internet to high-speed cable modems. My first cell phone was a flip phone when I was 15 years old. I got my first smartphone when I was 21. I fall into the category of digital natives. I grew up during the digital age and I used this technology as it was being created. For as long as I can remember, I have had access to unlimited knowledge at my fingertips. I cannot remember a time when I had to go to the Library to look something up. During my academic career, I have always been able to find the answers I needed online. I am used to learning things instantaneously. I learn best by doing. I have a hard time sitting through long lectures and maintaining focus.
Apparently, digital natives should be digitally literate. Some have argued that millennials (my age group) are actually digitally illiterate even though we are digital natives. According to this infographic that came out in 2015, we aren't as technologically savvy as we may think.
I would have to disagree. I think that any generation, whether it be millennials, generation Z, or generation X, has the capacity and ability to be digitally literate. It is 2024, and the current "blue-collar" job is in the tech industry. I think all generations have come a long way in the last nine years. I don't think anyone should be pigeonholed into one category. I think that since millennials grew up in the digital age, we have witnessed first-hand how being glued to our phones and computers has affected our mental health, and our generation pioneered being more open and aware of mental health issues, so some people may choose to not be as technologically savvy. I do not think there is anything wrong with this, and I do not see it as a flaw. I do think that since the generations after us never knew a life without online access, that could contribute to being more digitally literate at a faster rate, but again, it just depends on the person.
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