What is a Digital Native?
Mark Prensky (2001a) defined digital natives as the kindergarten through college students who have grown up surrounded by and utilizing computers, video games, cell phones and MP3 players.  He stated that due to the, “ubiquitous environment and the sheer volume of their (students) interaction with it (technology), today’s students think and process information differently” (Prensky, 2001a, p.1).  Digital immigrants are those individuals who did not grow up immersed in the technology.  Digital natives speak a different language than the immigrants and it becomes apparent in the simplest of tasks.  Digital natives do not buy a CD or make a mix tape.  They download a song (legally or otherwise) and can preview other songs on an album prior to making purchases.  Digital immigrants may speak the language of these new technologies, but probably do so with an accent (do you still “dial” the phone?) (Prensky).

How do Digital Natives Learn?
The immersion in technology-rich environments has changed the preferences of learning of many digital natives (Prensky, 2001b).  Digital natives prefer quick access to information, multitasking , access to hyperlinked information and choices about the learning process, and synchronous interaction with others  (Toledo, 2007).  Web 2.0 technologies including, blogs, Wikis, YouTube, podcasting, social tagging, and social networking websites, have allowed the digital natives to move from consumers of information through technology to creators of information for an audience larger than their classrooms.  By becoming producers of information, students are learning to utilize those higher-order thinking skills outlined by Bloom, including, explaining, organizing, composing, arguing, constructing, performing, deciding and more. 

What Technologies do Digital Natives Utilize?
In the fall of 2007, undergraduate students surveyed responded that 98% owned computers (Salaway & Caruso, 2007).  The use of the Internet and technologies was pervasive, with 99% of students using email and students spending an average of 18 hours per week doing online activities (Salaway & Caruso).  Students reported that technology was an enabler of learning in that it facilitated communication between students and faculty and allowed students more access to course materials (Salaway & Caruso). In 2005, 57 % of students were creators of web-based information (Lenhardt & Madden, 2005).  This includes the creation of web pages, personal networking sites, blogs, podcasts, videos, and the sharing of tagged (or personally organized) bookmarks, videos, and pictures with others. 

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