[Other sources] - Digital Technology in Education IELTS Listening Answer Key & Explanations

[Other sources] - Digital Technology in Education

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Lecturer: In today's lecture, I'm going to talk about digital technology, especially the changes occurring due to the rapid spread of digital technology in the last decade of the twenty-first century. First, what is digital technology? Well, digital technology includes any computer-related devices like mobile phones, the Internet, email, instant messaging, and so on. This lecture is based on the opinions of Mark Prensky and what he believes are the main effects that high exposure to digital technology has had on young people today. Prensky believes that because today's young people have been born into a digital world and spent a long time simply playing with technology, they have changed in fundamental ways.

1He thinks they are evolving differently and as a result, processing information differently from the last generations. These young people's brains may have physically changed, although no clear evidence exists. Prensky believes that we humans can be divided into digital natives and digital immigrants. Of course, today's young people belong to the group of digital natives because they were born into this new digital age and grew up just as native speakers of the digital language of computer technology. However, digital immigrants are the people born in the generations before the digital age.

2When people learn a second language, they often retain their foreign accent. It is the same with digital immigrants. They aren't quite as effective at speaking the digital language as the natives are. Prensky illustrates this in detail. 3For example, instead of using the Internet as a primary source of information, digital immigrants prefer finding phone numbers with a phone book or looking up information in an encyclopedia. Prensky refers to this as the digital accent. Another example of the digital accent is scanning a manual for a computer program, but the program itself will teach you how to use it. People with a digital accent always rely on their original non-digital means of sourcing information. They prefer doing things as they've always done rather than typing something into a computer.

Due to this, Prensky predicts it will bring many changes, especially in education. Other educators and theorists such as Thompson Allen, Samuel James, and Peter Vander also give their opinions. 4Samuel James is a famous educator from the University of Sydney. He agrees with Prensky's idea that today's educators are no longer thriving in how they teach. However, some more traditional theorists like Peter Vander and Thompson Allen don't agree. They criticize many of Prensky's assertions.

5Vander argues that a typical classroom is much more different from what Prensky believes with students from various backgrounds. He believes that many of these students are not necessarily proficient with technology. 6Then Allen adds his opinion that even though most students in modern times can access computers at home or school easily, some don't find the digital medium appealing. However, James disagrees. He argues that all today's students share the same basic interesting knowledge of digital technology.

7However, even so, James believes that our younger students can communicate with their digital immigrant teachers and still learn with the teaching methods that were quite effective in the past. 8Allen believes that both digital natives and digital immigrants have to process a large amount of information in today's digital world. He thinks that although most young students today are good at playing computer games or surfing the Internet, they use computers in important ways. They are not used to using computers at advanced levels, for example, to carry out complex information searches, which are essential for university study today. 9Unlike Allen's research, James believes that computer games can play an important role in the classroom.. For example, teachers can combine interesting computer games with the lessons to attract students' attention. 10However, Vander has different opinions. He argues that teachers are always the leading part of the classroom, and no computer program comes close to doing what a human teacher does every day. As a result, we should think of better ways to assist teachers rather than focusing on developing games.

Questions 1-3

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

1What impact does Marc Prensky believe digital technology has had on young people?

A. It has altered their thinking patterns

B. It has harmed their physical development

C. It has limited their brain capacity

2'Digital immigrants' tend to access computers

A. using their native language

B. less efficiently than young people

C. for less important information

3What example is given of having a 'digital accent'?

A. having less effective typing skills

B. doing things the old-fashioned way

C. being unable to understand instructions

Questions 4-10

Which theorist makes each of the following points?

Theorists

A. Allen

B. James

C. Vander

Points made

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 4-10.

Current teaching methods don't work

Correct answer: B

Many students don't understand computers

Correct answer: C

Computer technology doesn't interest all students

Correct answer: A

Students can still learn the traditional way

Correct answer: B

Students still need to learn research skills

Correct answer: A

We should use computer games to teach

Correct answer: B

Computers can't replace educators

Correct answer: C

Answers For [Other sources] - Digital Technology in Education

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