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Immigrants who wish to switch from "reluctant adopter" to "enthusiastic adopter" or members of either group who wish to become more adept with technology are encouraged to hire a patient, pleasant digital native to help build up the skill set.

Like digital immigrants, digital natives are also not created equal.

The native/immigrant distinction is important, as it can help explain tension between parents and children, educators and students, and business management and younger workers. Often, in these situations the different styles, values, and habits of the different groups create misunderstandings, misperceptions, conflict, disharmony and communication breakdowns.

This understanding can increase effective communication and contribute to harmony at home, enhance satisfaction and productivity in the workplace and increase the quality of learning and mutual understanding in educational institutions.

And importantly - this has relevance for education - having control over the exploration of material seems normal to them. Instruction to "open a book, go to page 5," lands as completely archaic to most digital natives

Their brains - as many immigrants have probably noticed - "hop" faster than that of their adult counterparts

The differences between the generations inevitably result in tension, misunderstanding and conflict at

and in schools, between teachers and students or even older and younger teachers and staff

You CAN have an influence on your child - but start with the goal of understanding and respecting

avoid becoming the "tech is bad" person

This creates predictable, serious problems between baby boomer or digital immigrant teachers who are anything but eager adopters and their students, who see the instruction to sit and receive as archaic.

It is obvious that educational systems must change and catch up to modern times

At a basic level, this means changing the educational model to be more participatory and less passive

Even without technology, this approach at least mirrors the experience of natives online - they have choices and can direct their own learning

Class websites, chat rooms

Educational games

Realizing that native workers thrive in a participatory culture can help managers harness the creativity, knowledge and capacities of native workers in such environments

. Obviously, a happy and satisfied workforce is likely to be the most productive, effective and stable -

how-to videos

Teachers watch the videos to find new or better approaches and then discuss developing those approaches with the technology-integration specialists.

They give me the confidence to move forward because I know I can have support whenever I want it."

Feller and Daniels meet with 200 classroom teachers and specialists in small groups each month for structured, two-hour coaching/training and workshop sessions that focus on individual projects, then offer additional guidance by request.

Content area, grade level, technological expertise, and the interests of each teacher and specialist affect the type of online training offered.

When they realize they're being given time to think about what they want to be doing, and to grow at their own pace, they're absolutely relieved. And there's been a remarkable shift in attitude toward personal growth because of that."

"Proactive"

"Reactive" videos

"individual backpack" videos

To increase collaboration and transparency, the technology specialists guide teachers through the use of Google Docs to set goals for the year, link to videos and other resources, and chronicle their progress.