Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants (9-22)

I have heard many people talking about how students have changed over the pass 20 years.  Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach but teach we must.  Today's students are the first generation to grow up with this new technology.  For the most part, they have spent their entire lives surrounded by computers, video games, digital music players, video cams, cell phones and, of course, the Internet.  They are indeed, digital natives, whose thinking patterns have changed.  The scary part for me, is the looming question of is it helpful or hurtful for students to be so plugged in.  I am one of those digital immigrant who speak a different language but am acutely aware that I must learn to speak their language.  I do believe that it will require teachers to walk and talk the student;s language in order to keep their attention and interest in learning.