Digital Native

What is a Digital Native? When my mother wants to watch T.V she has to ask me to help her. I know really?.. yes it's true something as simple as pressing a button confuses people that were raised in the era before television and cell phones. Being a digital native means being born into a digital world. My generation has always grown up with cell phones, computers, and other technology that enables them to have a very good, if not complete, understanding of the digital world. Older generations did not grow up in this digital world, so it is more difficult for them to adapt and change in this environment. Our parents, and others, would be considered digital immigrants.


Click here to watch a clip on technology challenged

To me being a digital native means that I was taught in my early elementary classes the skills needed to be successful in the new digital world. As early as kindergarten I was put on a computer and taught how to use the computer and I was even given quizzes on how to work certain programs. I never thought about how advanced my generation was compare to my parents and grandparents. As a continued to learn and inhabit these digital skills I realized that I knew how to run a computer better than my elders. I was the one who had to teach them how to open a new page on the internet, how to watch you tube videos, and as far as Myspace or Facebook I'm still working on that.

Click here to see a Digital Native child

Facebook is a whole different ball game for my parents. They are always asking who are these people?, how can you see what they're saying?, and why are they so publicly open? I know that if they opened a Facebook page they would be the ones to public send a message on my wall that they really meant to send in a private message. I would be completely embarrassed to see my parents created a profile and added friends and heaven forbid my friends! I realize that now children, parents, grandparents and even pets have Facebook, but I would be totally fine if my parents never make one of their own.

I have Facebook mom, click here to watch