Importance of Bridging the Digital Divide Essay -- Technology Society

Children today are not born with an umbilical cord, but a computer cord. Kids aren’t the way they use to be. How many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying this? Theories today believe that children form these generations are actually different, meaning their brains are different from when we were children. What can we do about it, or should we do anything at all? This paper will examine children today and the difference between the generations. Secondly, due to the difference in generations, the importance of maintaining social interaction, critical thinking and problem solving skills, which, are just as important as technical fluencies for the 21st century. In order to maintain the â€Å"humanity† skills, I will discuss the importance of Daily Physical Activity (DPA). Furthermore, the paper will also examine the importance of building a bridge between the digital divide. It is necessary to examine the educational system and the digital divide. Chi ldren are engulfed in a digital world and have different experiences and environment. How do we build a bridge between the technical fluencies and the humanity skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century? Digital Residents are they really different? Mark Prensky (2001) has coined the phrase Digital Natives versus Digital Immigrants. To put it simply, Digital Natives (DN) have always had the new technology (cell phones, video games, digital music, computers) while Digital Immigrants (DI) have come into these things later on in life and have had to learn â€Å"it† above and beyond the old ways they had of doing things. Is there a difference? Children today are born into a digital world and use technology from a young age. The Digital Natives/Learner finds technol... ...talKids.pdf Ministry of Education, Education. (2005). Daily physical activity (ISBN: 0-7794-8884-9). Ontario: Queen's Printer of Ontario. Pink, D. (2010). Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us. Proceedings of the RSA animation, www.youtube.com Prensky, M. (2008). The role of technology. Educational Technology, Nov-Dec. Prensky, M. (2008). Turing on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6) Prensky, Marc. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part ii. On the Horizon, 9(6), Prensky, Marc. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), Robinson, K.(2010). Changing education paradigm, [Web]. Retrieved from http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/watch Small, G, & Vorgan, g. (2008). ibrain: surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind. New York: Collins Living.