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Full-Text Articles in Education
Digital Natives, Sue Bennett
Digital Natives, Sue Bennett
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The term “digital native” was popularized by Prensky (2001) as a means of distinguishing young people who are highly technologically literate and engaged. His central claim was that because of immersion in digital technologies from birth, younger people think and learn differently than older generations. Tapscott (1998) had proposed a similar idea, calling it “The Net Generation,” and there have been numerous labels applied to the same supposed phenomena since. Recent research has revealed that the term is misapplied when used to generalize about an entire generation, and instead indicates that only a small sub-set of the population fits this …
The Digital Education Revolution: New South Wales Science Teachers' Response To Laptop Ubiquity, Wendy Nielsen, Alex Miller, Garry F. Hoban
The Digital Education Revolution: New South Wales Science Teachers' Response To Laptop Ubiquity, Wendy Nielsen, Alex Miller, Garry F. Hoban
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Since the introduction of laptop computers across Australia for all Year 9 students, teachers have sought to make meaningful use of the learning potential represented by the introduction. This study uses a lens of cultural historical activity theory to explore how teachers have responded to the ubiquitous presence of student laptop computers during the initial implementation. This paper reports a one-year case study of two highly qualified and experienced high school science teachers that considers their efforts to implement laptop computers in Year 9 and Year 10 science classes. The study shows that these teachers are committed to developing and …
Intellectual Field Or Faith-Based Religion: Moving On From The Idea Of 'Digital Natives', Sue Bennett, Karl A. Maton
Intellectual Field Or Faith-Based Religion: Moving On From The Idea Of 'Digital Natives', Sue Bennett, Karl A. Maton
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
For the past decade the general notion of ‘digital natives’ has attracted considerable attention in both academia and the popular media. While proponents of the idea use a variety of labels, such as ‘Net Generation’, or ‘millenial learners’, the claim they make is essentially the same: younger generations have grown up with digital technologies as part of their everyday worlds and so behave and think differently to older generations to whom these technologies have been introduced later in life (Howe & Strauss, 2000; Palfrey & Gasser, 2008; Prensky, 2001; Tapscott, 1998; 2008). This claim has led to the argument that …
Beyond The 'Digital Natives' Debate: Towards A More Nuanced Understanding Of Students' Technology Experiences, Susan J. Bennett, Karl A. Maton
Beyond The 'Digital Natives' Debate: Towards A More Nuanced Understanding Of Students' Technology Experiences, Susan J. Bennett, Karl A. Maton
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The idea of the ‘digital natives’, a generation of tech-savvy young people immersed in digital technologies for which current education systems cannot cater, has gained widespread popularity on the basis of claims rather than evidence. Recent research has shown flaws in the argument that there is an identifiable generation or even a single type of highly adept technology user. For educators, the diversity revealed by these studies provides valuable insights into students’ experiences of technology inside and outside formal education. While this body of work provides a preliminary understanding, it also highlights subtleties and complexities that require further investigation. It …
The Digital Technology In The Learning Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asd) In Applied Classroom Settings, Kathleen Tanner, Roselyn M. Dixon, Irina Verenikina
The Digital Technology In The Learning Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asd) In Applied Classroom Settings, Kathleen Tanner, Roselyn M. Dixon, Irina Verenikina
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
This paper describes a research study that is a stepping stone to further research on the affordances of digital technologies in the learning of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The study is framed around the modern understanding of technologies as cognitive tools for learning based on the theory of social and cultural mediation of children’s development and learning (Vygotsky, 1978), together with Activity Theory (Engestrom, 2001). The study focuses on the day-to-day reality of the use of computer and other digital technologies to assist the classroom learning of children with ASD. A series of observations, semi-structured interviews with teachers …
This Is Me! Empowering Children To Talk About Their Learning Through Digital Story, Jessica Mantei, Lisa K. Kervin
This Is Me! Empowering Children To Talk About Their Learning Through Digital Story, Jessica Mantei, Lisa K. Kervin
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The transition from pre-school to Kindergarten is an important part of a child’s learning journey. In the early childhood setting children develop interests, knowledge and learning preferences that often remain unknown in the early days of Kindergarten. We argue that from this young age children can identify and articulate learning preferences as they use their literate practices to communicate their preferences, aspirations and reflections. Digital Stories are short, personal, multimedia presentations created through image (from still and/or video cameras), which are then edited on a computer with video editing software to include a spoken narrative. In this paper we share …
Digital Natives: Everyday Life Versus Academic Study, Linda Corrin, Sue Bennett, Lori Lockyer
Digital Natives: Everyday Life Versus Academic Study, Linda Corrin, Sue Bennett, Lori Lockyer
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Access to and use of technology by ‘digital native’ students studying in our universities has been an area of much speculation, though relatively little empirical research. This has led some pundits to call for a radical rethink of how higher education uses technology to deliver education. Others are more circumspect and think it is necessary to hear directly from these ‘digital natives’ about their actual technology practices before jumping to such conclusions. This paper reports on a study that aimed to do just that; the study comprised a survey of the technology access and practices in both everyday life and …
Adult Educators' Authentic Use Of Smartphones To Create Digital Teaching Resources, Anthony J. Herrington
Adult Educators' Authentic Use Of Smartphones To Create Digital Teaching Resources, Anthony J. Herrington
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The development of digital resources set in authentic contexts using mobile technologies is reflected in this study. The research involved adult educators creating teaching episodes or digital narratives using smartphones, as part of a postgraduate subject designed to introduce these learners to technological applications in adult education. The study involved interviewing students to determine the affordances of the technology in this context and the pedagogical strategies suited to such an approach.
Investigating The Factors That Influence The Use Of Digital Learning Resources In The K-12 Educational Context, Susan J. Bennett, Lori Lockyer, Ian M. Brown
Investigating The Factors That Influence The Use Of Digital Learning Resources In The K-12 Educational Context, Susan J. Bennett, Lori Lockyer, Ian M. Brown
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Australian and New Zealand governments have made a significant investment in the establishment of an on-line repository that will make digital learning resources, also called learning objects, available to teachers in the K-12 sector. The focus of this, and similar learning object initiatives around the world, has been on content development and delivery. Much of the current learning object research has been concerned with resolving the technical issues to support these processes, with little attention paid to pedagogical and practical issues that might influence learning object use. This paper argues for research to address this gap and reports on a …