Handbook of research on engaging digital atives in higher education settings

Abstract

The concept of digital natives, firstly introduced in 2001 by Marc Prensky, refers to all who were born and who have grown up with digital technologies. Today, over the last decade, it is important to understand the technological profile of this new generation that was born in a digital world and that remains immersed. As it is believed that present and future learning environments should motivate and engage learners in reflective thinking and active knowledge construction, the potential of technology is in knowing how to help students and teachers in doing so. In other words, to find patterns of discourse to implement and accomplish the necessary interaction, mediated by technology, in the learning process. Moreover, given the intense competition in knowledge-based economies and the wide omnipresence of information and communication, it is also essential to offer different educational supports that can integrate the idea of educating students for global citizenship. Having this issue as a backdrop, the overall goal of this work is to contribute to the understanding of how HEI need to anticipate and prepare themselves for this new native generation. Thus, the Handbook of Research on Engaging Digital Natives in Higher-Education Settings aims to publish literature reviews and evaluations of good practices in higher education that support and inspire colleagues to a better understanding of how to use technology for learning and teaching activities. Although the target audience of this book is composed of academics, students, researchers, and education policy representatives, we definitely hope that the audience can act as an important anchor for all those that are committed with higher-education settings regarding the issue of engaging (digital natives) students in the learning and teaching process. The Handbook of Research on Engaging Digital Natives in Higher-Education Settings is a compilation of 20 contributions of the central concerns, challenges, opportunities, experiences, and commitment of 50 authors from 10 countries over 4 continents that really work and live side by side with today’s students. The Handbook of Research on Engaging Digital Natives in Higher-Education Settings is organized in three parts: Digital Natives, Strategies of Teaching and Learning, and Virtual Education. While the seven chapters of the first part address the nature of the concept, the seven chapters that follow report about how different methodological approaches can be designed to meet the cultural changes that derive from the concept. Finally, the last six chapters focus on the subject of education within a wider digital exploration context.