Plain and simple times have changed and so have our students. Students spend so many hours in front of a screen that a paperless movement is inevitable. Technology has allowed us to extend ourselves beyond our natural means; we can essentially be in 2 places at once and be reached at any moment. These advancements have made our lives very convenient and accessible, but there are also setbacks such as a lack of privacy, spam, dependence, and a skill based gap between the old and new ideas for efficiency.
The products of the digital native are not new ideas, but rather innovations of products that already exist. It promotes accessibility and convenience, but at a cost, the value of original and hard work is at a loss. Teachers use doc cams now instead of overhead projectors; the idea is still to project print and images on the board we just go about doing it in a "better" way. Rather than reading your local newspaper or subscribing to one magazine, websites now allow you to subscribe and archive any publication digitally at one location. Many aspects of our lives become routines making change difficult no matter what stage in life you are.
Digital immigrants influence, teach, and run the world, but they can't control the future. By definition a digital immigrant wasn't born in the digital age so they have their own knowledge and experience, but it might not pertain to the rapidly changing skills in the job market. I believe digital immigrants are not afraid of change, but feel threatened by the loss of their ways and obsolete media options such as cassettes, VHS, CDs, and DVDs. Schools are supposed to mirror society so we should prepare our students for the real opportunities they will have to support themselves after finishing college.
Digital Natives know how to speak the language of computers, video games, and the internet. Technology is implemented in every facet of their lives unless it is controlled by their parents or schools. Kids today need something stimulating and exciting to pique and keep their interest. Students are used to being bombarded with multiple tasks because they know the technology to help them manage it, but what skills are they not gaining by receiving so much assistance?
Integrating technology into the school curriculum will seamlessly help tie the importance of programming and computer skills. Many of the programs students use are on the internet, but it is important to teach the tools already on the computer such as MS Office, iMovie, and Adobe Creative Suite. Students have the need to stay "connected" so it is our job to link them to the right objectives and goals. Both digital natives and immigrants must compromise to ensure a positive productive world for the future.
I truly agree with your point of view regarding to the importance of computers in the classroom, but at the same time I think that we have to constantly remind ourselves the social aspect that comes with humans. We can't forget that teachers are needed and that we can't rely on computers at all times.
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