Digital Natives and Immigrants:
Implications for Training and
Education
Atsusi “2c” Hirumi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Co-Chair
Instructional Technology
University of Central Florida
hirumi@mail.ucf.edu
Basic Premise
Today’s schools
and training
programs are not
designed for
today’s youth.
Today’s Youth
First generations to grow up in Digital Age (Digital
Natives).
Surrounded by computers, videogames, digital
music players, video cams, cell phones,
Internet, instant messaging, email, etc.
Average college graduates
< 5,000 hours reading
> 200,000 emails and instant messages
> 10,000 hours playing video games
> 10,000 talking on cell phones
> 20,000 hours watching TV
Today’s Youth
Children raised with the computer “think differently
from the rest of us. They develop hypertext minds.
They leap around. It’s as though their cognitive
structures were parallel, not sequential.”
(Winn, 1997)
“Linear thought processes that dominate
educational systems now can actually retard
learning for brains developed through game and
Web-surfing processes on the computer.”
(Moore, 1997)
Today’s Youth
Neurobiology
Brain structure and
organization changes
throughout life.
Brain cells replenished
constantly.
Thinking patterns change
depending on experiences.
Today’s Youth
Neurobiology
Emotion stimulates
amygdala that codes
information differently.
Stories stimulate both left &
right hemispheres of brain;
facts stimulate only the left.
What’s the Problem?
With insufficient time, training, tools or
incentives, educators rely on past
practices.
Training and education predominately teacher-directed
Many online courses continue
to mimic [poor] correspondence
mail models of DE.
What’s the Problem?
Teacher-directed methods and materials….
• Rely heavily on text-based materials that focus on
the transmission of information
• Limited interactions resulting in feelings of
isolation & anonymity
• Do not promote social interactions
to interpret & construct knowledge
• Are not engaging (w/o teacher)
• Fail to use the potential of
technology
What’s the Problem?
“What is in the (text)
book is only one fourth
of the story. It is like an
iceberg where threequarters of the story
you don’t see, it is
beyond the page.”
Hemingway
Purpose
Compare & Contrast Digital Natives &
Digital Immigrants
Describe Planned R&D Efforts
Discuss Implications for
Training & Education
Compare &
Contrast
Compare & Contrast
Digital Immigrants
Step-by-Step
Linear Processing
Text First
Work Oriented
Stand Alone
Digital Natives
Random Access
Parallel Processing
Graphics First
Play Oriented
Connected
Planned R&D Efforts
Develop instrument distinguishing Digital Natives and
Immigrants (Kelsey)
Test Prensky’s propositions (Jeonghee, Kelsey)
Taxonomy for analyzing game design (Angelique)
Review game engines (Pete)
Integrating ISD “hooks” into Delta 3D Engine (Patty)
Develop EME6XXX Instructional Game Design for
Training and Education (Kelsey, Pete, Rodney)
Storytelling and Gaming Research Support Site
Testing Prensky’s Propositions
Natives
Performance
Immigrants
A
B
A
Text-First
B
Graphics-First
Testing Prensky’s Propositions
Natives
Performance
Immigrants
A
B
A
Text-First
B
Graphics-First
Testing Prensky’s Propositions
O1
O1
RN
RI
X1
X1
O2
O2
O3
O3
O1
O1
RN
RI
X2
X2
O2
O2
O3
O3
Research Design for ATI Study
Testing Prensky’s Propositions
R
X1
O2
O3
R
X2
O2
O3
O1 X1 O2 O3 X2 O4 O5
Basic Research Designs
Discuss Implications
Digital Immigrants
Step-by-Step
Linear Processing
Text First
Work Oriented
Stand Alone
Digital Natives
Random Access
Parallel Processing
Graphics First
Play Oriented
Connected