Transitioning towards the digital native: Examining digital technologies, video games, and learning

Although digital technologies have become commonplace among people who grew up around them, little is known about the effect that such technology will have on learners or its impact on traditional methods of educational delivery. This dissertation examines how certain technologies affect digital natives and seeks to understand specific correlations that emerge among video games, and colleges that offer both traditional and online courses.;The research questions guiding this research study are (a) To what extent, if any, is there a correlation between academic achievement and digital native learners? (b) To what extent, if any, is there a correlation between playing video games and high academic achievement'? (c) To what extent, if any, is there a significant difference between utilizing technology and preference in virtual courses? (d) To what extent, if any, is there a significant difference between learning preferences and playing video games? (e) To what extent, if any, is there a correlation between playing games online and taking virtual courses?;The data were gathered through an online survey of closed-ended questions. Two hundred and thirty-five Miami Dade College students participated in this study, responding to an online instrument questionnaire. Although the results showed no significant relationships within the inferential assessment, close examination revealed a trend effect (p = .052) in participants' preference for virtual or hybrid courses which reflected their amount of technology usage. Moreover, if this trend is accurate, then it may indicate that digital natives will be more inclined towards preferring virtual or hybrid courses over their traditional counterparts.