Alien vs. Immigrant

I really enjoyed reading the article about digital natives vs. immigrants. At best I am an immigrant and sometimes I feel like an alien. During class we talked about the way young people are being raised and how it impacts not only the way teachers try to reach and connect to them in class but also everything they experience in their lives. I realize that I have strong opinions about families and the way our society has changed over the years. As I child, I often dreaded being called to the dinner table and having to answer questions about my day at school. I remember that it was a rare occassion when we were allowed to take our plate and move to the room with the TV (Black and white with rabbit ears, no less). I remember that the telephone was left unanswered many times - knowing that if it was really important, they would call back. Family time was a priority and valued. My parents made the same commitment as the kids, dinner was "our time."

Now as an adult, I realize that we were the Cleaver family. We were the lucky ones. My mom was always home when we got there. She helped us with homework and prepared our dinner. Our extracurricular activities were limited to weekends and one night per week. Not everyone valued that time together, but my parents did.

Today families pass in the driveway while one child goes to practice and another returns from dance lessons. Parents are chauffers and kids are so busy they stay connected by using cell phones and pagers. Kids can't wait to get their own cars so they can move around without parents. Often parents are not home to help with homework. Rarely, is a child "un-connected" from others through some type of electronic device -- but they also don't seem to talk (face-to-face) with anyone.

How does all this impact the way we teach and the way we learn? Are their brains really wired differently? Do they learn while listening to music, talking on the phone and watching TV? If we use action learning with them, can they really do all those things and still learn from the process? I hope so! I'm counting on these kids to take care of me in the future. I want to know that the doctors and nurses can calculate the correct amount of medicine I need. I want to know that the mechanic knows how to fix my car with or without hooking it up to a diagnostic machine. I want the clerk at the store to know how to make change. Most of all, I want to be treated like a human being with feeling -- not an interruption to their busy life!

Rushing around, multi-tasking may be the norm for kids, but I 'm still working primarily with adults (other immigrants). Instructors who use all the technology in their teaching may contribute to the fear of adults returning to the classroom. Helping adults return -- encouraging them to spend time on a computer, searching the internet, writing blogs, participating in discussion boards -- is valuable. It will help them communicate better with younger co-workers, their children, each other. It may also scare them right out of the room. Maybe we need TSL (Technology as a Second Language) classes. Originally, I thought about doing a project where adults could practice on the computers and become familiar with the current technologies available to them. I can still use these ideas in my work -- using the kiosk in the lobby, they can practice getting on the internet. Now that I am more familiar with some of the tools available I will be more prepared to direct them. This may end up being my next project - after the class is completed.

For now, I'm still an immigrant. I'm waiting for my visa to allow me to stay --- knowing that I may be deported at any moment! My bags are packed, just in case.