PortablePD.ca

The idea of digital natives and digital immigrants has been around for a while. For those who haven`t heard about it… digital natives are the kids who are growing up with technology and digital immigrants are those of us who are older and for whom technology has come into our lives at a later age.

I admit that I am older but I like to think that I keep up with what is happening with technology and how it is being used and can be used. This week I realized that for all my reading, for all my playing with technology, for all my interest, I will always be an immigrant. There is nothing that I can do to change that. I will always be the “come from away” in Tech Land.  Who taught me this lesson? My sixteen year old daughter.

The photo at the bottom of this post is a picture of the back of my daughter’s head. She had just returned from a band trip to Halifax and was sharing her photos with us. I was surprised at the number of photos she had taken of the back and side of her head…Why does she have these photos? Can you guess? I couldn’t.

You see (my daughter slowly and carefully explained to me in small words so that I would fully understand) a digital camera isn’t just a camera, it is also a mirror. Want to see the back of your head? Hold the camera over your head, behind you. Press the button down a bit so that you get the little red eye light that comes on before you take the picture. With the camera behind your head and a wall in front of you (or even the ground if a wall is not handy), use that light as a way to guide your hand and click. Instant picture, instant view of the back of your head. You now have a way to be sure that every hair is in place without benefit of a mirror or eyes in the back of your head. Seems obvious right?

Another thing I learned is that digital cameras are also binoculars. For this feature to work you don’t even need to take a picture. Use the zoom feature on the camera and you can get a close up view of something far away. Why didn’t I think of that? Because for me it used to be a waste to take pictures that you didn’t really want to keep. It cost money. My head is still back in the dark room ages…in more ways that one.

Our kids are using technology in ways that we would never consider. They understand it and use it to suit their needs. They solve problems with technology, they create with technology, and they manipulate technology. They own at technology in ways that I never will. All I can do is keep watching and learning. It is all very cool but it does make me feel a bit old. I don’t remember finding different uses for our eight track player other than to listen to Glenn Campbell sing Wichita Lineman…guess I was kinda slow.

Comments RSS