#6 PSSST..... Can we get a little personal?


Tomorrow, my son graduates from high school, and I couldn't be prouder (or more relieved!). Reflecting on his journey, I’m struck by how much the digital world has shaped his life—and how I’ve managed to keep up (mostly).

Born in the early 2000s, he’s never known a world without social media, apps, and touchscreen devices. Meanwhile, I remember dial-up internet and floppy disks—clearly, we speak different languages. But you know what? I’ve adapted like the digital chameleon mom I am.

They call this generation "digital natives". Clearly, I'm the digital immigrant. Point being is that I think our brains are wired totally different. Dr. Bruce D. Perry says “different experiences lead to different brain structures,” and I can vouch for that. While he effortlessly juggles six apps at once, (the discussion on multi-tasking is NOT for today) I’m mastering the art of not hitting “reply all” on emails. Okay, I'm not that bad...... I'm actually quite tech savvy, learning tools along my path as an educator and instructional designer. 

As we celebrate his graduation, I marvel at the resilience of his generation. They’ve mastered a world that’s always online, and I’m right there with them, holding my own (sort of). Congratulations to my son and all the digital natives graduating this year. Your journey is just beginning, and I can't wait to see where it takes you—hopefully, to a place that rewires your brains for the better! #NeuroNetworked


So, dare I ask... Are you a digital native, adaptor, or immigrant??

Comments

  1. BlessedMay 24, 2024 at 7:08 PM

    Thank you for sharing and congrats to your son. I would have to agree with soical media being a big part of our children's lives. It's not always a bad thing and it wil help them to grow and learn more. However, I feel limitations are needed. I would consider myself a digital native.

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  2. Candace DentonMay 25, 2024 at 9:08 AM

    Congrats on your son's high school graduation. While I am not a digital immigrant, I fully recall the days of dial-up and floppy disks. I also have experience with older technologies, such as a rotary phone and recording songs from the radio from a cassette player. It was amazing growing up when we did, as we got to experience the old and new, and I can appreciate how much technology has expanded in the past thirty years. For example, from a learning perspective, I remember going to the library to access their Encyclopedia set to complete a research paper in elementary school. Now, I can access the digital library at FSU and learn more about Web 2.0 from the comfort of my home. I look forward to seeing what the future brings with the expansion of artificial intelligence and how it will impact our careers as instructional designers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BridgetteMay 26, 2024 at 10:41 AM

    Congrats on your son's graduation from high school! It's amazing how much the technological landscape changes from one generation to the next.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura PomalesMay 29, 2024 at 9:06 PM

      Thank you , Bridgette! I'm still waiting for the flying cars, aren't those supposed to be here by now????

      Delete
  4. VanessaMay 29, 2024 at 7:22 PM

    Alas, I thought I had commented here, but perhaps not. I meant to say congratulations ... to your son, and to you for raising him!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura PomalesMay 29, 2024 at 9:05 PM

      Thank you, Dr. Dennen. I'm next, at which point I'll thank you for raising me as a doctoral student!

      Delete
  5. SM PinkJune 2, 2024 at 9:11 AM

    Congrats on your son's graduation and your fulfilled motherhood journey. It is marvelous to observe Gen Z and Alpha mastering this world that's always online. As you mentioned, it is resilience! My strategy is not to indulge in the digital world and do only necessary things there. It asks for a regulation of the mind and habit. I wonder if it is possible for younger generations to adopt the same way. Or they master their online world differently.

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  6. SM PinkJune 2, 2024 at 9:14 AM

    And how have you adapted to his world full of frequent trends and changes? I am hoping to learn some tips. My daughter is a nascent digital native (she is 16 months lol). She will grow into a digital native soon!

    ReplyDelete

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