Week 8 - Website 4

This article suggests that it is not age which separates digital natives and digital immigrants, but interest in the digital media, for example different generations will use all the different forms of digital media in different ways. I believe this could be true, as obviously younger people are more interested in social networking and downloading music, etc, but I think this interest is probably due to age.

It goes on to suggest that these people described/assumed as digital immigrants can indeed become digital natives with practice and willingness to try to interact with the digital world as easily as possible. I think this can also be true, for example, digital immigrants who perhaps work in an IT job would have to be knowledgable about some forms of digital media than the students who should technically be digital natives.

But also, there is the argument that some of the younger generation (who are generally classified as digital natives) may not be interest in technology or digital media. Some may prefer to stick to traditional forms, bith in education and free time. Although social networking sites such as Myspace or Facebook re highly popular, there is still a percentage of young people who would still prefer to interect in person or over the phone. This links back to some of my first posts on this blog about old media v new media. How digital immigrants may prefer to write letters, whereas digital natives may communication via text messages or wall comments on Facebook, etc.