Technology is dividing us into digital natives and digital immigrants - and changing the way we think. A “digital native” is one who has never known a world without instant communication whereas a “digital immigrant” may still be coming to terms with a culture ruled by mobiles, PDAs, blogs, e-mails, and interactive websites. Librarians (and everyone else) must come to terms with this because it impacts the effectiveness of our work.
This generational divide has been evident for a while, but only now is its impact becoming clear. Last month, Lord Saatchi, doyen of the British advertising world, virtually declared the death of traditional advertising — because digital technology is changing the way people absorb information. The digital native’s brain is physically different as a result of the digital input it has received growing up, he claims.
Many of our current and most of our potential college students may appear to live in Connecticut, but they actually spend time in another galaxy — out there, in the digital universe of websites, e-mails, text messages and mobile phone calls. Some may be checking their wall on facebook.com Even young children today are multitasking left, right and center — downloading tracks, uploading photos, sending e-mails, visting chatrooms, instant messaging. They may find sitting down and reading, even watching TV, too slow and boring.
Behaviors are being shaped by digital technology as never before, taking us boldly where no generations have gone before. The experts say it may even be the next step in evolution, transforming brains and the way we think.
What do you think? Are you a digital native, a digital immigrant, or somewhere in between?
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