I would have to say that I am definitely a digital native. I have been “socialized” to think in terms of the language of new technology, and I use it far more often than other sources for information. I don’t have an “accent,” like my parents do, because it is how I have learned communicate, learn, and express many ideas from childhood. I found it very interesting when Marc Prensky said that “it is very likely that our students’ brains have physically changed – and are different from ours – as a result of how they grew up. But whether or not this is literally true, we can say with certainty that their thinking patterns have changed,” (“Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” page 2). I never thought of it that way, but I think that he is right. What I also found extremely amusing was how Prensky went on to say “Digital Immigrants don’t believe their students can learn successfully while watching TV or listening to music, because they (the Immigrants) can’t. Of course not – they didn’t practice this skill constantly for all of their formative years,” (“Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” page 3). Ironically, just as I was reading this my mom came into the room to talk to me and then turned the TV off as she was about to leave. I then I tried to explain to her how I like having some background noise. She didn’t believe that I wasn’t actually paying attention to the TV, when really I found it easy to do work while sitting in the same room. I guess it is because I’ve become used to it.

I have been using computers since I was about ten years old, and have experience many benefits from being able to do so. I have found that being able to type homework and papers has helped me to write down my thoughts fast and to be able to organize them easily. When using a computer it is simple to correct mistakes instead of having to use white-out or re-write work. Using computers has allowed me to save old pictures, letters, and work all in one place and to be able to send them to other people. It has helped me to stay in touch with many people in my life. The downside to using a computer for work and for writing during my life was that sometimes my computer would freeze or shut down and I would lose my work and that was incredibly frustrating. When a computer dies then there goes everything you have stored on it. Sometimes it was easy to spend more time than I wanted to doing things like playing games or taking useless surveys but to be honest, I don’t see any real downsides to having a computer for most of my life.

Right now I have DSL and have a good internet connection. I plan on logging in to work on the course usually in the evening after my classes and work, and in the daytime on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I would like to improve my website design skills technical knowledge. I’m not as familiar with using a computer for business and formal online meetings as I am with just recreational use.