Understanding a Digital World

 I had never heard of a digital learner or a digital community although I consider myself part of both. As a future teacher, I am unsure how yet another label benefits others in understanding, learning or teaching. In my mind, a teacher meets the students where they are. If that is a technology savvy student or a student with limited exposure to technology, the goal is the same, provide meaningful learning experiences that extend and build upon what they already know. The key word is meaningful. In reading Understanding the Digital Generation: Teaching and Learning in the New Digital Landscape by Ian Jukes, Ted McCain and Lee Crockett I often felt a line being drawn in the sand or a great divide being created between teachers and students. One thing I do not recall being mentioned was the human component of technology.  

I believe the human component is what drives the world of technology. If we did not have a need, would we have the first computers or programs? If the human component did not drive technology, websites would not be as interactive and inviting. I also would not have spent the amount of time I did in creating my website. I would not concern myself with how it looked flowed, etc. I would have been interested in information only. The way we communicate would not be as technologically enhanced. I used a form of technology to send typed messages before the birth of texting. The technology used was the teletype phone (TTY) which used a modem to send and receive text over phone lines in order to communicate with the deaf. This evolved into texting from a cell phone to the QWERTY keyboard on Sidekick cell phones to the present technology and use of texting. The human component was and continues to be the driving force behind this technology.