Never mind the technology, where’s the learning?

Doing two conferences can be hard work either as part organiser or delegate, so this week I have refined my views on the development of ‘conference out-reach’ from the delegate’s point of view. The opportunity to dip into conferences, via Twitter, Ustream and other media services appeals somewhat if only to select from the information overload. But more of that in another post.

Earlier in the week I was at the Naace Conference which was well received by the delegates with some excellent speakers and a thought provoking stream running through it. Today I finish the ECIS Technology Conference, another favourite of mine.

At both conferences, I was struck with the maturity of understanding there is emerging with regard to how, when and why young people use technology. Prensky’s concept of the Digital Native/Immigrant, an idea I’ve expressed my concerns on before, is slowly waning and there is an increasing recognition that we are all learners, and while our capacity to learn decreases as we get older, the native/immigrant metaphor serves as a barrier, or even an excuse and apology for not getting on with it. Angela McFarlane’s research expressed in her keynote (video coming soon) on The Myth of the Digital Native at the Naace Conference, shows that five year olds could never programme the video recorder, and that the majority of young people are not digital creators, but still passive consumers on the web. Millions of Facebook and Bebo accounts and even YouTube videos show little real creativity or an inclination towards an intuitive understanding of this new media. Some individuals are clever, are able to exploit the moment, but it’s the same percentage in a generation that develop a genius or expertise. This was supported by Ewan McIntosh’s excellent keynote at the ECIS Tech Conference, as he identified this as a gap for education to fill as we develop a clearer understanding of the role of teachers and learning in this age, a parallel to Mick Water’s keynote at Naace (video available on link) on the development of the curriculum.

Tags: ecis, naace2009, conference, digital native, prensky, Ewan McIntosh, Angela McFarlane, Mick Waters