Hi Marc,

Unfortunately missed a lot of the 'micro-blogging' of your talk and hope I am not asking something that was already covered.

In your article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part II (2001) you suggest that Digital Natives' brains may be physically different as a result of the digital input they received growing up, with evidence based on neurobiology, social-psychology and other studies.

I was wondering if this research has now been followed up on and if we have solid evidence regarding the neuroplasticity of the digital natives - and in particular, how has this been looked into with Digital Immigrants.  

With regard to older learners/ language students is there any data regarding the effect of language learning/teaching using technological tools in the classroom, be it in games-based settings or in general practice? 

Also, are we seeing any physical changes to the brains of adults who actively use digital tools when working/ learning as compared to those who do not?  Where are those changes occuring and how are we measuring this?

Thanks very much,

Karenne Sylvester

dear marc,
your presentation shows the reality ot the present day syllabus(teacher oriented). students centred learning is the need of the hour. let your dreams be fufilled
regards
dr.mangay
moderator of ESP

You can find the online time in your City here

Hi Marc,

Thought I'd leave another question as there's not much in here yet -unfortunately I'll miss your answers too as must go back to class ;-( but to help spark the debate...

As a teacher-trainer on using new media and technology in the language classroom I find that realistically only 1 in every 8 of my teachers seriously take on the adventure of teaching with technology. 

Fear is a factor but so is a lack of motivation.

Some come to my sessions determined to shout down the process before they've heard the presentation at all - the next fad etc...but even when I do get through, showing via examples, training through hands-on practice, explaining the issue of how necessary this all is; a clear truth remains that what I hear months down the line on follow-up are the words "I had no time.""I have a family" "I have too many classes" etc...

No time to spend learning these tools.  This really isn't true as most programs etc don't take much time to learn at all.  Like I said this is not all of my attendees but it is a significant majority.  No matter how excited they are at the end of a session, they don't put what they've learned into practice.  

I often feel like those of us who are working in web 2.0/web 3D etc, with our students are leaving our colleagues behind and this simply doesn't feel satisfying - I don't feel like I'm ahead of the game, I question what is going on in their classes and whether or not they are really meeting their objectives. 

If their classes are solely dependent on coursebooks they are not teaching to the specific interest of their learners, they are working in a generalized fashion and therefore covering x<% of their students' needs.  

How do we cross over this divide and inspire the luddites to come and, at the very least, look at what's now possible?  How do we get the teachers to Learn, Use, Teach, Grow?

Hi
I was wondering if 'digital native' isn't really a kind way of saying 'analogue illiterate'? Isn't this like the difference that has recently happened in cars? Some years ago, people took pleasure in fixing problems with their cars. However, over time, cars have become so complex, moving from mechanics to electronics, perhaps, that people no longer have the ability to repair them. (These cars also break down less often. Is this cause or effect?)

However, at the same time, people have lost useful knowledge - how things worked. Increasingly there is a disconnect between understanding and using. Isn't the tendency increasingly to use or not to use, rather than adapt? Digital natives need to be engaged. Isn't that really just not knowing how to develop engagement? Is this a desirable social development?

Second and related question: if all today's knowledge was lost, would anyone still be able to make a cart where the wheels went round but the cart stayed level?

I was able to catch the last part of the interview. The quality of video was great; sound was clear and I love the background music in the end. The last visual also helps the audience to refer to the list of interviews and other live sessions that will take place online.

Good job Gavin and company!

Aiden Y. 

The recording of this interview is now available at http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2009/sessions/62/q-marc-prensky