Unit Four Explanatory Synthesis
English 120
Post University

Andrew Brown, a former assistant producer for the BBC and director of media strategy for Weber Shandwick, said “The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life (Brown, n.d.).” What is most interesting about his statement is that he was not far off. It is clear that in today’s world there is a division between “digital natives” and “digital immigrants” but that are differing opinions in how to best reconcile this division for the future. “Digital natives” are those that have grown up in a world surrounded by technology and “digital immigrants” are those that would have learned about the technology and tried to adapt as an adult. In the articles by Kuehn, Myers and Sundaram, and Oriji and Efebo, they all focus on what these terms mean and how the new digital world has been a part of defining them. They also address the issue of how to reconcile these two groups in today’s world. In particular, they focus on whether or not there is hard distinction between the two groups. In Myers and Sundaram’s article they talk about how the “digital natives” entering the work force will fare since business systems and managers are all “digital immigrants”. They discuss how because “digital natives” would be proponents of change that their “digital immigrant” managers would be resistant of change. Furthermore they bring up how “digital natives” have also influenced the ubiquitous information systems to better suit their preferences thereby making it easier for them to transition into the workforce. What is interesting is that this is very similar to what Oriji and Efebo have to say in their article.
The main difference between the articles is that in Oriji and Efebo’s article they focus on the education system instead of the business sector. In their case, the teachers are the “digital immigrants” and their students are the natives but because of how technology has transformed today’s youth, there is a communication gap between teachers and their students. They discuss how teachers can change the climate of their curriculum and classrooms to cater to the different, more media centered learning styles of their students. What’s more, is that both articles present this information in a very linear and objective way.
The authors of both articles write from an academic standpoint and focus more on presenting information then to persuade. For instance, in Oriji and Efebo’s article they spend two whole pages outlining the typical character traits of each group. They give each group the same attention and the same standing in their paper. There is no preference given to one group. Then in Myers and Sundaram’s article there is a clear linear way in which they present the information. They begin by introducing what a “digital native” and immigrant is. Then they follow the progression of a “digital native” in the work force and the potential situations they face in a sector ruled by the immigrants. The transitions are well placed and the flow is very easy to follow. This is very different in the third article by Kuehn.
The essence of the articles discussed so far is that there is a divide between two groups and then solutions to better integrate these groups together and overcome their differences. This is intriguing because in Kuehn’s article he proposes that the definitions which define the two groups, which is based on age, is wrong and that if we approach it from a different perspective we would see that there is no hard classification of who is a native or an immigrant. He suggests that “the reality is that most of us are somewhere on a continuum, perhaps moving in one direction or another at any one time” (Kuehn, 2012, pg. 131). This means that everyone falls on a scale of how interconnected they are with technology and that there could be a different level for the professional world and their personal lives. Interestingly, this is something that Myers and Sundaram also bring up, “Although we believe there are significant differences between natives and immigrants in their use of, and attitudes towards, technology, our research indicates that there is no hard and fast distinction between the two” (Myers and Sundaram, 2012, pg.32). Kuehn shares his personal experience as a way to prove his point that being a native or immigrant is all about perspective and integration. This is a huge difference from the other articles.
Unlike the first two articles discussed, the third employs a personal voice to convince readers of the writer’s point. You can see this by how the author presents his evidence. He uses his personal life experiences instead of generic statistics or an impersonal story. The writer is personally invested in his article and changes the tone of the article from objective to persuasive. One evidence of this is presented on page 131, where after the author quotes a saying, he ends the sentence with an exclamatory word and exclamation points. In professional or academic writing where the writing is objective this never occurs. So not only do the articles take a different approach to the differences of natives and immigrants, they also employ different writing techniques to reach their crowd.
All three articles, although they come from different standpoints in the end try to achieve the same message. The first two articles use the same definitions of the two groups and come up with solutions in which it makes it easier for them to communicate and understand each other. This lessens the difference between them and they present this information in a direct and professional manner. Then the third article changes the game by saying the definitions we have been given are based on an incorrect basis and the method used is also different. However, they all clearly show that the initial differences perceived by these two groups do not have to keep them separate forever and with a little cooperation there can be a seamless melding of the two groups.

References
Brown, A. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andrewbrow104628.html
Kuehn, L. (2012). No more "digital natives” and “digital immigrants”. Our Schools / Our Selves, 21(2), 129.
Myers, M., & Sundaram, D. (2012). Digital Natives: Rise of the Social Networking Generation. University of Auckland Business Review, 15(1), 28-37. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=06ef14bb-b09d-4d07-a7d8-86bd4aa32bfc%40sessionmgr4005&vid=4&hid=4211
Oriji, A., & Efebo, P. (2013). New Technology, New methodology: The “Digital Natives” and “Digital Immigrants” Debate. Journal of Education Review, 6(2). Retrieved from https://post.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-2094510-dt-content-rid-20719993_1/courses/ENG120.321187019118/NewTechnology%2C%20New%20Methodology.pdf