Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants - agree to disagree

I absolutely agree with Marc Prensky that the new generation has and are growing up with everything from computers, to video games, to video cams, cell phones, etc., In fact, they are submerged with everything technology. I also agree with him that we as Digital Immigrants need to change the way we teach in order to reach these Digital Natives aka - N- (for Net) or D - (for digital). But what saddens me is that the more we move into blogging, texting, playing video games, the further these students move away from simple, basic skills like reading a book. I know it is up to us as future educators to find that balance of the new digital world and kids learning basic skills.

The article asks a very good question: Should digital native students learn the old ways, or should digital immigrant educators learn the new? The answer is rather simplistic and is more common sense - digital natives will only move forwards and not backwards. So we better take a hands on approach and move forward with them.

The article makes a lot of sense when it refers to crossing "legacy" with "future". Meaning crossing the basics of reading, writing, math, etc with digital content. Where I do not agree 100% is that the only solution the article offers is creating games and using simulation. It suggests this approach to teach about the Holocuast. I am not so sure that this topic can be be taken so lightly and taught through a video game.

So my opinion is that I agree with the article to make a change to reach more kids but I am not so sure that the articles approach of using games is that answer. Just my two cents.