Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy

dc.contributor.authorBrown, Cherylen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCzerniewicz, Lauraen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-29T08:36:59Z
dc.date.available2014-07-29T08:36:59Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.descriptionThis is the accepted version of the following article: Brown, C. & Czerniewicz, L. 2010. Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 26(5): 357-369., which has been published in final form at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2010.00369.x.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis paper interrogates the currently pervasive discourse of the 'net generation' finding the concept of the 'digital native' especially problematic, both empirically and conceptually. We draw on a research project of South African higher education students' access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to show that age is not a determining factor in students' digital lives; rather, their familiarity and experience using ICTs is more relevant. We also demonstrate that the notion of a generation of 'digital natives' is inaccurate: those with such attributes are effectively a digital elite. Instead of a new net generation growing up to replace an older analogue generation, there is a deepening digital divide in South Africa characterized not by age but by access and opportunity; indeed, digital apartheid is alive and well. We suggest that the possibility for digital democracy does exist in the form of a mobile society which is not age specific, and which is ubiquitous. Finally, we propose redefining the concepts 'digital', 'net', 'native', and 'generation' in favour of reclaiming the term 'digitizen'.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationBrown, C., & Czerniewicz, L. (2010). Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy. <i>Journal of Computer Assisted Learning</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3334en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBrown, Cheryl, and Laura Czerniewicz "Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy." <i>Journal of Computer Assisted Learning</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3334en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBrown, C., Czerniewicz, L. 2010. Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0266-4909en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Brown, Cheryl AU - Czerniewicz, Laura AB - This paper interrogates the currently pervasive discourse of the 'net generation' finding the concept of the 'digital native' especially problematic, both empirically and conceptually. We draw on a research project of South African higher education students' access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to show that age is not a determining factor in students' digital lives; rather, their familiarity and experience using ICTs is more relevant. We also demonstrate that the notion of a generation of 'digital natives' is inaccurate: those with such attributes are effectively a digital elite. Instead of a new net generation growing up to replace an older analogue generation, there is a deepening digital divide in South Africa characterized not by age but by access and opportunity; indeed, digital apartheid is alive and well. We suggest that the possibility for digital democracy does exist in the form of a mobile society which is not age specific, and which is ubiquitous. Finally, we propose redefining the concepts 'digital', 'net', 'native', and 'generation' in favour of reclaiming the term 'digitizen'. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Journal of Computer Assisted Learning LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 0266-4909 T1 - Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy TI - Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3334 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/3334
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBrown C, Czerniewicz L. Debunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracy. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3334.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherBlackwell Publishing Ltden_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceJournal of Computer Assisted Learningen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2010.00369.x.
dc.subject.othercell-phoneen_ZA
dc.subject.othercritiqueen_ZA
dc.subject.otherdigital nativeen_ZA
dc.subject.otherdiscourseen_ZA
dc.titleDebunking the 'digital native': beyond digital apartheid, towards digital democracyen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourcePostprinten_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
CHED_article_debunkingdigitalnative_Brown_Czerniewicz_2010.pdf
Size:
484.13 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Collections