Abstract:
As educators now welcome students who have spent their lives immersed in technology, far removed from the passive learners of the past, a shift has had to occur in order to meet these students’ needs and learning styles. However, many educators who are teaching these students have not spent their lives immersed in technology and must master technology in order effectively teach these students. This qualitative study examined teachers who were born before 1980, Digital Immigrants, who have effectively integrated technology into their instruction of students born after 1980, Digital Natives. Participants were culled from two public school systems through an on-line survey, where participants self-ranked a LoTi level. Participants took part in three in-depth interviews, a classroom observation, and submitted lesson plans for review. The study revealed several participants attitudes had shifted to recognize the crucial role technology plays in their teaching throughout their teaching career, while others had a positive attitude toward technology from the start of their career. The challenges faced by participants were relatively similar in that students themselves posed challenges, along with time and access to technology. Implications of the research suggest it is realistic for Digital Immigrant teachers to effectively implement technology into their teaching of Digital Native students. As technology continues to advance at lightning speed, the knowledge gap between educators and students will remain and it is crucial educators continue to work to bridge the gap, in order to effectively address students’ learning styles and needs.
Keywords: Teachers, Technology, Digital Immigrant, Digital Native, Public School, Technology Use