This document discusses the concepts of digital natives and digital immigrants. Digital natives are people who grew up with technology, while digital immigrants learned about technology later in life. The document notes that while some argue digital immigrants have an "accent" when using technology, viewing it as a choice rather than an accent may be more accurate. It also questions whether research has truly proven the existence of distinct digital native and immigrant groups. The document aims to explore these concepts and ideas around technology use and experience.

2. Who are we?
Training Manager, FIU Online
Teacher, Miami-Dade County Public Schools

3. •
•

5. digital
digital Immigrants

6. Photo by Wayan Vota

7. Digital Native
•
•

10. Digital Immigrant
•
•

12. Spread of Digital Natives/Immigrants Idea

13. •
•

14. •
•
•
•

15. What did we ask?
•
•
•
•

23. •
•
•

45. online

66. Digital
immigrants
have
accents

67. “The “digital immigrant accent” can be
seen in such things as turning to the Internet
for information second rather than first, or
in reading the manual for a program rather
than assuming that the program itself will
teach us to use it”

70. •
•
•
•

71. •
•
•

72. “There are hundreds of examples of the digital immigrant
accent. They include printing out your email (or having
your secretary print it out for you – an even “thicker”
accent); needing to print out a document written on the
computer in order to edit it (rather than just editing on the
screen); and bringing people physically into your office to
see an interesting web site (rather than just sending them
the URL”

73. •
•
•

74. •
•
This is a choice
Not an accent

77. The idea that there are
digital natives and
digital immigrants is
yet to be proven by
research

79. Nerds or Geeks

80. digital
digital

81. digital
digital

83. Questions?
hlezcano@fiu.edu
mmckee@dadeschools.net