Reviewed by Nancy Lindhjem, Ed.S., School Psychologist
As a mother, grandmother, and experienced school psychologist, I know one thing for sure: I am a “digital immigrant.” This is a term coined by Marc Prensky in his bold, eye-opening book entitled Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning to describe those of us who have come into the digital age kicking and screaming (metaphorically, of course). Prensky has master’s degrees from Yale, Middlebury, and the Harvard Business school (with distinction) and is the founder of Games2Train, an e-learning company whose clients include IBM, Microsoft, U.S. Department of Defense, and Los Angeles and Florida Virtual Schools. His professional focus has been on re-inventing education to make it more engaging and helping to make the important connections between games and learning. The book is organized into four parts. Part I of the book is entitled “Games are Not the Enemy,” with Part II dealing with the “Rise of the Digital Native.” He then talks about “What’s Different about Today’s Games” in Part III. “What Kids Are Learning (On Their Own)” and “How Parents, Teachers, and All Adults Can Get in the Game” make up Part IV.
My first real foray into the digital world began in the summer of 1997 when my then-16-year-old nephew introduced me to the iPhone. Since then, it has become as much a part of my life as my morning cup of tea. The initial fear I experienced as I grappled with learning this new technology was quickly replaced by the wonder and efficiency it brought to my everyday life.
Think now of toddlers who can scroll through numerous screens on an iPad, searching for their favorite game; the school-aged child who can sit for hours strategizing and multi-tasking while playing a video game; and teenagers who talk more with their fingers than they do with their mouths. These are what Prensky calls “digital natives.” Today’s technology-rich landscape is the only world they know. The important thing to remember is…they can’t go backwards. These children are used to receiving information in rapid fashion – often much faster than we are able to dispense it. Multi-tasking is a way of life for them. Instead of wanting to read the words first, they are more interested in the images and graphics. They do not prefer the neat and orderly ways of the digital immigrants. They prefer gathering information and putting it together in a more random fashion. They are also used to being “in touch,” being connected to others through networks, and receiving instant gratification and frequent rewards.
When discussing schools and effective learning, Prensky states, “Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” As teachers and parents, we have to be aware that the brains of these young people are not wired the way ours are and it is not fair to force them into learning in strictly “the old way.” For example, computer and video game designers have perfected a way of learning that engages the student and gets them to perform voluntarily. Simply getting through the material does not lead to effective learning. Prensky states that, as teachers develop their lessons, the first question they need to ask is, “How can I keep my students on the edge of their seats for the next 45-50 minutes – and still teach the content?” Another important principle is to increase the pace of decision-making in class, which also assists in keeping students engaged. In games, players generally have to make some type of decision every half second or so. They are used to this fast pace. If technology is not available in the classroom, teachers can simply ask for a show of hands to get answers to specific questions rather than asking, “Who knows….?” and waiting for a response, often by the same few students.
Prensky cites research that has shown that repeated exposure to video games helps youth develop certain thinking skills. These include “representational competence,” which refers to being able to read visual images as representations of three-dimensional space; “multidimensional visual-spatial skills,” which is the ability to create mental maps; and “inductive discovery,” in which the gamer makes observations, generates hypotheses, and tries to figure out the rules of a particular situation.
I will never forget how it felt to “run the gauntlet” when I first ventured into a well-known computer store. I felt ignorant, afraid, and self-conscious but quickly found that those feelings were unwarranted. My 16-year old nephew acted as my mentor/coach and graciously provided me with immediate answers to my many questions, never once making me feel inept in my effort to learn something new. That assistance, coupled with some hands-on experience and a hefty dose of patience, I jumped into the digital world faster than I had ever thought possible. I know now that if we are going to reach and teach our children effectively, we have to be willing to accept some things that might initially seem strange or frightening to us.
Reading Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning opened my eyes to the positive effects of computer and video games. Don’t get me wrong – I still believe kids need to go outside and play, interact with others in non-digital ways, laugh and engage in hands-on creative and/or athletic endeavors. But what this book did for me was allow me to look more closely at the other side of the digital coin. Prensky points out a number of ways that gaming can develop pro-social skills such as cooperation, decision-making, establishing and meeting goals, understanding cause-and-effect, and the value of persistence. He also discusses the fear that many parents have regarding their children becoming “addicted” to video games and potential “red flags.” Prensky states that sometimes what seems like an addiction to gaming is really an attempt on the child’s part to get through a difficult stage of the game, to get to a different level, or beat the game. He likens it to the same sort of feeling you might have when you stay up all night to finish a novel. There certainly are extreme cases and it is important for children whose lives suffering because of excessive gaming, either academically, socially, or emotionally, to get help.
In attempting to bridge the gap between the “digital natives” and the “digital immigrants,” Prensky hopes to improve communication, understanding, and respect between these two factions. This is especially important as young people transition from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood when they need understanding and support from the important people in their lives rather than judgment and criticism. Teachers should also be aware of the needs of these 21st Century learners so they can offer educational opportunities that will engage and excite students about learning. After reading this thought-provoking book, it raises the question: The world has changed….have you? If so, hearing your child say, “Don’t bother me, Mom, I’m learning,” could become music to your ears.
Nancy Lindhjem, Ed.S., NCSP is a school psychologist at CRG. She conducts psychoeducational assessments and career assessments and enjoys using her iPhone, iPad, and Mac notebook on a regular basis.
