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Many academics prefer to think of education as “work” rather than “fun”. As a result, motivation in higher education rarely comes from the process itself. The author predicts this will change as the generation raised on the engagement of games no longer accepts the historical but unnecessary separation of fun and learning. The author offers the games world as an example of the process itself being motivating to the user. He ascribes this to “gameplay”, the techniques used by game designers to keep players engaged. The author suggests several ways to bring the motivation of gameplay into education, and predicts that gameplay will eventually become the criterion by which students choose their courses.

This purpose of this paper is to review Marc Prensky's book Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning.

Prensky's book takes aim at classroom practices, arguing that there are more effective ways for students to acquire knowledge and skills. Specifically, teachers should move from “tell and explain” pedagogical techniques to those that “ask and challenge”. This paper considers Prensky's approach in light of today's K‐12 educational system, what K‐12 education needs to deliver for the future, and relevant research findings.

Our education system faces two unprecedented challenges: all children must be educated, without exception; and for a future that is unknowable. Marc Prensky provides a simple answer to both: if education can't provide students the answers for negotiating the future, it must provide them the skills to figure it out for themselves. Prensky's advice for teachers is consistent with recent research about the importance of student engagement to learning. The practicality of his prescriptions is questioned, however, especially given the constructs of our educational system and No Child Left Behind.

While Prensky's book was written primarily for an audience of K‐12 teachers, this paper will be of greatest interest to K‐12 administrators and reformers. The paper suggests that, while Prensky's approach may be valid, it is unrealistic to expect a wholesale change among teaching practices if the structure of school itself does not change to enable and support those new teaching practices.

Part 2 of Prensky’s paper exploring the differences between “digital natives” and “digital immigrants”. In this second part the author presents evidence to support these differences from neurology, social psychology and from studies done on children using games for learning.

Part one of this paper highlights how students today think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors, as a result of being surrounded by new technology. The author compares these “digital natives” with the older generation who are learning and adopting new technology naming them “digital immigrants”.

This paper addresses a new generation of employees and the effect this generation is having on the current business landscape.

It is only recently that business leaders have become aware of this generational shift that is impacting on their organizations, but digital natives are not well understood by most senior management today.

This paper discusses the salient differences between two current generations of employees, and aims to improve managers' understanding of digital natives and what they need to do to attract and retain the necessary talent required to achieve ongoing business success.

The issues addressed in this paper will benefit all those who are responsible for the recruitment, development, promotion and management of people, irrespective of the nature or size of their businesses.

The term “digital natives” appeared in the academic literature more than a decade ago, but little attention has been paid to them at the business level.

Argues that to get educational software that is state‐of‐the‐art along all dimensions, works together, and is free to users, one must involve the “world mind” and open source software. Proposes a model whereby colleges and universities each take charge of certain areas of learning, searching for the best developments, and writing new tools, which are then shared among all sites. Offers an example in the area of educational games, and suggests a way to get started.