{"id":171344,"date":"2025-10-28T09:24:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tecscience.tec.mx\/en\/?p=171344"},"modified":"2025-11-03T11:32:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T17:32:29","slug":"digital-inhabitants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tecscience.tec.mx\/en\/education-and-humanism\/digital-inhabitants\/","title":{"rendered":"From \u201cNatives\u201d to \u201cDigital Inhabitants\u201d: A New Term for a Hyperconnected Generation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You\u2019ve probably heard the phrase \u201cthis new generation seems like they were born with a screen in their hands\u201d to describe so-called <strong>digital natives<\/strong>. The term, coined in 2001 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marcprensky.com\/writing\/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marc Prensky<\/a>, refers to those born into a world surrounded by computers and smartphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the concept has since evolved to capture those who move seamlessly across the increasingly blurred line between the physical and virtual worlds: <strong>digital inhabitants.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the sweeping changes brought on by technologies like <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/artificial-intelligence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">artificial intelligence<\/a>, combined with the surge in hyperconnectivity during the <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/covid-19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Covid-19<\/a> pandemic, researchers are now defining and describing a generation shaped by online learning and lingering uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe call them digital inhabitants\u2014those born between 1997 and 2012, who spent their final years of primary and secondary education during the Covid-19 pandemic. As we studied them, we realized they had distinct traits that even Prensky hadn\u2019t identified in his original idea of the digital native,\u201d explains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fergut.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fernando Guti\u00e9rrez<\/a>, a researcher and director of the <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/school-of-humanities-and-education\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Humanities and Education Division<\/a> for the Mexico City region at Tec de Monterrey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Paola Ricaurte y la lucha por una IA justa y sin sesgos\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m-KvZYhdNag?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">English captions are available for &#8220;The quest towards a fair and unbiased artificial intelligence&#8221; <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are the Differences Between \u201cDigital Natives\u201d and \u201cDigital Inhabitants\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Fernando Guti\u00e9rrez, together with his colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unisabana.edu.co\/programas\/unidades-academicas\/facultad-de-comunicacion\/nuestro-equipo\/jeronimo-rivera-betancur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jer\u00f3nimo Rivera<\/a>, a professor at La Sabana University in Colombia, proposed the new term from an educational perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To develop the concept, the researchers conducted an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fergut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/DigitalInhabitants.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exploratory and documentary study<\/a>, reviewing publications from 2019 to 2023 that focused on the <a href=\"\/en\/science-communication\/gen-z\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">centennial generation<\/a>, their interaction with digital environments, and how certain behaviors were reflected in their learning styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They found that digital inhabitants are <strong>hyperconnected<\/strong>\u2014constantly online through multiple mobile devices, especially smartphones, but also laptops, tablets, and smartwatches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their attention tends to be <strong>fragmented<\/strong>. While they possess multitasking skills and can juggle several devices at once, they rarely go deep into any one activity. This tendency toward distraction stems from their exposure to social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, which thrive on fast, bite-sized content such as images and short videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These apps also serve as arenas where they <strong>construct and project their identities<\/strong>. They use them as spaces for social validation, seeking approval and recognition through likes, followers, and views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why digital inhabitants also exhibit a high dependency on these connections, Guti\u00e9rrez explains. \u201cIt\u2019s really quite striking. <strong>They can\u2019t be without some device that connects them<\/strong> and lets them engage with the world. Take it away, and you risk triggering significant anxiety\u2014they don\u2019t know how to cope without it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Self-Directed or \u201cOn-Demand\u201d Learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is also a generation that leans toward <strong>self-directed learning<\/strong>\u2014a tendency that took shape during the pandemic, when most of them were in primary or secondary school. This experience helped shape what researchers call an \u201c<strong>on-demand mindset<\/strong>,\u201d where learning is driven by students\u2019 immediate interests and their own sense of when, how, and how much they need to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although digital inhabitants may also be seen as <strong>tech-savvy<\/strong>, they are constantly processing vast amounts of information, which can hinder their ability to think critically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another challenge is their reliance on instant answers and short-form content, as found on platforms like Google, <a href=\"\/en\/science-communication\/artificial-intelligence-and-emotions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ChatGPT<\/a>, or YouTube. This habit fosters low tolerance for delay and translates into weaker concentration skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also tend to <strong>distrust traditional sources of information<\/strong>. Guti\u00e9rrez describes this as a form of \u201c<strong>moral relativism<\/strong>,\u201d where young people place more trust in their peers\u2014such as influencers or online communities\u2014than in scientific or educational institutions. For them, truth depends on who says it, rather than how well it\u2019s supported by evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another major hurdle is the persistent access gap. While most young people today live in a digital environment, millions still lack access to internet-connected devices. \u201cWith the arrival of disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, the divide between those with access and those without is only widening. That\u2019s why we talk <strong>not just about one gap, but about multiple ones<\/strong>,\u201d Guti\u00e9rrez notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technological Agility: Rapid Adoption of Digital Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the many challenges they face, digital inhabitants stand out for their technological agility. They adapt quickly to new platforms and tools, often learning without formal instruction, and they tend to prefer project-based learning with simulations or hands-on activities with <strong>real-world applications<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also apply their creativity to skills like designing and sharing content on social media, using these platforms to engage with social, environmental, and political causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This reflects a proactive mindset, says Guti\u00e9rrez, noting that they aren\u2019t just passive content consumers but also <strong>creators<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt this point, we\u2019re all digital inhabitants to some degree. But a centennial\u2019s level of abstraction isn\u2019t the same as that of someone from Generation X, a baby boomer, or even a millennial, because each group has had different reference points that shape how they perceive the world around them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Adapt to Digital Inhabitants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The next steps in this line of research will focus on delving deeper into areas such as fragmented attention and self-directed learning, as well as experimenting in real-world settings: What actually happens in classrooms? How do digital inhabitants absorb information? What tools do they use most frequently, and are these tools helpful or detrimental to their learning process?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Guti\u00e9rrez, this exploratory study is crucial for institutions\u2014especially those in higher education\u2014to better adapt and respond to the needs and realities of this generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cInstitutions will need to adjust their teaching methods to integrate digital tools that genuinely engage this group, without losing the human connection or the value of hands-on learning,\u201d he says. \u201cThe recommendation is to use strategies that blend technology with elements like critical thinking, digital resilience, socioemotional skills, and an awareness of both the strengths and limitations of tech. We believe there will be a growing demand for pedagogical flexibility to support these students and help them reach their full potential.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Were you interested in this story? Would you like to publish it? Contact our content editor to learn more:&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:marianaleonm@tec.mx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">marianaleonm@tec.mx<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new profile of young people shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way they learn and prepare for professional life, according to researchers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":171346,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[558],"tags":[356,390],"class_list":["post-171344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-and-humanism","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-school-of-humanities-and-education"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.0 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - 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