Adapting to the digital culture

I’ve been thinking the last couple weeks about the culture of technology. What got me thinking was Kim Cofino’s K12online Pre-Conference Keynote: Going Global: Culture Shock, Convergence and the Future of Education

Flickr ID: Barnesworth Anubis

In her presentation she discusses Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and you hear from many different individuals who live and work internationally. Many of them talk about living in different cultures, learning to adapt, and learning to become part of that culture as you learn and work within it.

I know the Digital Native vs Digital Immigrant debate has been raging for years, but I wonder if it’s not a debate between those who were born into a time with computers and those who were not, but rather those that have adapted to the digital culture.

Age is not a factor when it comes to adapting to a new culture, but rather your willingness to adapt. Your willingness to change, and to appreciate differences. Each individual decides for them self to what degree they are willing to adapt.

For example, here in Thailand I speak enough Thai to get home in a taxi. I took lessons last year but have not kept up with them and am comfortable with that level of adaptiveness to this culture. Could things be easier if I learned more Thai? For sure, but at the moment I have what I need to get by in this culture.

The same would hold true to the technology culture. You learn just enough browsing skills to find information, learn just enough computer skills to get by.

Or we fully adapt, like many that read this blog, we fully adapt to the culture, the culture intrigues us and we want to learn more about it, and become part of that culture.

I encourage you to watch and listen to Kim’s Pre-Conference Keynote. If you’ve already watched it, watch it again and be thinking about technology as a culture and see if you see similarities to how people adapt to this digital age.