Dumping on 'Digital Natives.' It's time to send the natives, immigrants dichotomy packing.

Photo by Tanjila (www.flickr.com/photos/tanj).

In short, we need a new way to consider the digital-ness of some. One solution is to look back to the classic nature vs. nurture argument. Where do you fit on the continuum between those who are naturally digital and those who need to be digitally nurtured?

Someone who tends toward being naturally digital isn’t there because of their age or experience with technology. Rather an innate curiosity and ability to learn and adapt enabled that person to embrace new technologies in a seemingly natural way. Many of our students seem to be so called-digital natives simply because they haven’t forgotten how to explore and learn. Often, people who are more naturally digital just need to be shown a new technology and they’re ready to figure it out on their own.

Alternatively, someone on the opposite end of the spectrum probably needs a higher level of support and structure in their technology learning. This isn’t an excuse for avoiding new technologies— a concern I always had with the digital immigrant label. Seeing our students and colleagues as needing some digital nurturing actually places more pressure on those of us who can provide that support. It becomes our responsibility to guide, coach, and demonstrate, and otherwise contribute to a safe and supportive technology learning environment.

Professional development, as well as library and classroom instruction in technology, can be modified to match students’ needs. For some learners, a brief bit of nurturing focusing on the benefits and importance of learning a new technology may be enough to nudge them into a more naturally digital approach. For example, once a teacher learns how social networking can enhance learning, they may be more ready to tackle Facebook. In other cases, a typically natural digital learner may need help in adopting a new mindset required for an emerging technology. Though now a staunch supporter of ebooks, I initially had to be cajoled into reading my first digital title on an old Palm handset.

So in 2010, I propose once and for all that we abolish the false dichotomy of digital natives and immigrants. Let’s instead take a more organic view—one that respects a learner’s dynamic position along the continuum between being naturally digital and digitally nurtured.