A Critical Summary of Mark Prensky's 'Do They Really Think Differently?'

In ‘Do They Really Think Differently’ by Marc Prensky, the theory that Digital Natives’ brains are physically different and that brains can be retrained to think in different ways, is discussed and scientifically backed up. He then applies this knowledge to education and suggests new ways of teaching Digital Natives in the digital world.

Research in neurobiology has proved that stimulation of various kinds can change brain structures and that these transformations going on throughout life. This constant reorganisation of the brain is called neuroplasticity. Furthermore, social psychologists believe that the environment and culture determines many thought processes. Scientists have discovered that it is possible to ‘rewire’ a brain, and that it takes ‘sharply focused attention.’ The fact that many children sharply focus their attention on a number of different digital technologies, such as computer games, TV etc… means that their brains have been physically retrained to deal with digital media. Through this, many new thinking skills have emerged: multidimensional visual-spatial skills, mental maps, inductive discovery, attentional deployment etc… therefore, one can see that the new generation has a very different blend of cognitive skills.

So what are the implications for education? Prensky suggest that educational computer games are the best way to teach Digital Natives because they are in their ‘digital language’ and represent the fast moving digital world they have grown up in. the fact that children spend so much time playing computer games, if they were educational, a lot more learning would be done – which is obviously the most fundamental purpose of education. However, despite scientific evidence and research, the traditional education system is reluctant to change their ways. Digital immigrants need to realise that they have to communicate their valuable knowledge in the world’s new language and mode of digital technology.

Personally, I feel that educators have to face up to the fact that children’s brains are wired differently to ours, based on their digital upbringing, and amend their teaching methods accordingly. I definitely see the advantages of educational computer games, and feel that they can be a valuable way of teaching children. If they are designed well, children will want to play them all the time, and learning will take place in their spare time as well as at school. However, I do not believe that computer games can replace all teaching, because a huge amount of valuable learning takes place through social interaction, between teacher and pupil, and between pupils.