Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age

I like to think that I am reasonably capable in the area of technology and that I incorporate a good deal of it into my classes. In the schools where I have previously taught, I have always been one of the teachers who utilized technology more than most. When I began teaching 19 years ago, most teachers, much less the students, did not have access to a computer. Having a desktop computer at your disposal was unheard of. There were no laptops, cell phones, ipods (Walkmen were used quite extensively), or internet connnections. The students that I teach today really are significantly different and learn in very different ways than those students. They despise reading and writing assignments, they tolerate step-by-step instruction, they would rather learn "on the fly" than to be instructed and faster is almost always better.
As I read Mark Prensky's article Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants I have to admit that I was a bit distraught at the picture of myself as a teacher that was being created. It seems that I have a considerable "accent" in my teaching style and the way that I view my students' learning styles. This article forces me to take a hard look at my teaching style and to ask myself if I am really as technologically literate as I wish to be. While I know I will never keep up with my students in the tehnological arena, I do feel that I owe it to them to use the technology that is part of their world.
In defense of my teaching style, there are a few drawbacks to the ways in which today's students wish to learn. The subject that I teach (computer aided drafting) is one that builds on itself and bad habits learned in early endeavors are very hard to undo. No matter how much my students hate the step by step instruction method that I use to introduce them to the beginning techniques, they cannot do without them. There is still no substitute for learning the base concepts thoroughly before the reigns are released. Students who I have seen that are "self-taught" usually have a shallow understanding of the foundational concepts that allow them to complete the really cool projects that they want to work on. The "walk before you run" method of learning is very hard for these students to utilize. They see the impressive things that experinced CAD users have produced and the immediately want to do those things. Without sufficient time spent progressing through basic drafting and CAD concepts, allowing them to attempt this type of project would be frustrating for them and me. So while they like to learn in this newer, faster method and are very good at learing as they go, the process is, in my opinion, more efficient when controlled at least a certain amount in the beginning.
While I may be an immigrant to the digital world, I am working on becoming the most efficient naturalized citizen possible.