After today's very interesting lecture and equally interesting tutorial task, we were asked to read and summarize two scholarly articles by Mark Prensky and Dave Weinberger, below is my interpretation of their work.
Mark Prensky "Emerging Online Life of the Digital Native"
Prensky's article is very interesting in the fact that suggests a 'digital native' is someone who is no stranger to digital communication methods. He argues that people have become so comfortable with digital media that their life is parallel to these communication methods. Prensky is absolutely correct. For instance look at the what I am doing right now. I am communicating to my 'audience' through a digital mode of delivery.
However, Prensky does argue about the 'lookism' of the internet and the fact that this is seldom. He suggests that on the internet, in chatroom situations people can create an 'identity' for themselves that is as close to or nothing like their true selves. This is also questions that integrity or reliability of the source that one is accessing - an interesting argument.
Dave Weinberger "A New World"
Weinberger argues that we as internet users, are defined by the activities that we participate in. He also suggests that the internet life is adaptable to our lives and the pace that we want it to flow in. Online activities are there for our disposal when and where we want them - unlike real life that is then and now. Our relationship with the internet is quite selfish, in that we can dictate when we want to participate.
Both articles are very interesting and very insightful - an excellent task.