Digital Natives

"digital natives," = a demographic of 10- to 15-year-old students who have grown up with digital technology as a part of their everyday lives.

According to EDC, these students have technical acumen beyond any previous generation. They are characterized by their ability to "leverage the internet to the highest degree conceivable" and are energized by technology well past the point of most digital "immigrants"--that is, older learners forced to adapt from the analog age.

"The Certiport survey validated many of our observations that, among digital natives, there is a group of 'Power Users' of ICT," said Joyce Malyn-Smith, director of strategic initiatives for education, employment, and community programs for EDC. "This group [is] in tune with what is needed for success in the 21st century, exhibiting many of the collaborative learning, analytical thinking, and problem-solving interests that are sought by today's employers.

Malyn-Smith said those who operate as Power Users exhibit "engineer-level thinking that we don't normally expect [students] to have until they enter post-secondary engineering programs." (http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=6087)