When I think of the term “digital native” the first thing that comes to mind is assumption. Assumption that because teens grew/grow up in a world in which the internet has always existed, many adults assume that youth automatically understand new technologies (Boyd, 2014, p. 176). How can we assume that this is the case for all teens. We cannot. Just because teens may make their own media or share content online, does not mean that they inherently have the knowledge or perspective to critically examine what they consume. I resonate with Boyd’s argument that, the notion of the digital native, whether constructed positively or negatively, has serious unintended consequences. Not only is it fraught, but it obscures the uneven distribution of technological skills and media literacy across the youth population, presenting an inaccurate portrait of young people as uniformly prepared for the digital era and ignoring the assumed level of privilege required to be “native” (Boyd, 2014, p. 179-180). Teens will not become critical contributors to this ecosystem simply because they were born in an age when these technologies were pervasive (Boyd, 2014, p.177). We live in a technologically mediated world and being comfortable using technology is increasingly important for everyday activities. Boyd also talks about youth becoming media literate. Whether they engage with media as consumer or producers, they need to have the skills to ask questions about the construction and dissemination of particular media artifacts (Boyd, 2014, p.181). What biases are embedded in the artifact? How did the creator intend for an audience to interpret that artifact, and what are the consequences of that interpretation? (Boyd, 2014, p. 181). Boyd also goes into some detail regarding helping our youth develop broad digital competency. How educators and the public end up reproducing digital inequality because more privileged youth often have more opportunities to develop these skills outside the classroom (Boyd, 2014, p.180). This leads me back to Prensky’s assumption that because teens grew/grow up in a world in which the internet has always existed, we assume that youth automatically understand new technologies. Empowering youth requires much more than calling them native participants (Boyd, 2014, p.183).
Jenkins explains a bit the challenges brought forth by media literacy stem from and reinforce the broader issue of digital inequality, which is often elided by the frame of digital natives. Talking of digital natives may mask the different degrees of access to and comfort with emerging technologies experienced by different youth. (Boyd, 2014, p. 192). When we talk of digital natives it makes it harder for us to pay attention the digital divide in terms of who has access to different technical platforms and the participation gap in terms of who has access to certain skills and competencies or for that matter, certain cultural experiences, and social identities (Boyd, 2014, p. 192). Hargittai found that teens technological skills are strongly correlated with the quality of their access (Boyd, 2014, p. 165).
Resources:
Boyd, Danah, (2014). It’s Complicated: The social lives of networked teens.Yale University Press, New Haven and London
I want to highlight your idea that "it obscures the uneven distribution of technological skills and media literacy across the youth population" as an important concept to discuss. The term "digital natives," in my opinion, does not consider digital literacy in the sense of a spectrum and does not address the varied skills people attain in their exposure to the internet. If we can step back and address the skills we have and the skills we need to acquire in relation to digital literacy, it shows that not only is digital literacy a spectrum and varied people have different skills, but also that there is also a spectrum of what needs to be taught to help navigate virtual worlds.
ReplyDeleteHi Zaida, I enjoyed your post. Like yourself I agreed more with Boyd's perspective. I also like how you finished your post with a thoughtful analysis of the technical divide. Again, nice post!
ReplyDeleteI also resonate with Boyd's opinion that exposure to technology does not equate with digital competency. He does run in opposition to Prensky's assumption that all youth today are well versed in tech usage.
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