Marc Prensky

Marc Prensky, coiner of the terms “Digital Native” and “Digital Immigrant,” is an internationally acclaimed speaker, writer, consultant and innovator in the fields of education and learning. Considered one of the world’s leading experts on the connection between learning and technology, Marc’s professional focus is on designing better pedagogy and curriculum for the digital generation and on helping people understand how to thrive in the digital age. Known for his original, innovative ideas, he is also practical: Strategy+Business magazine calls Prensky “that rare visionary who implements.”

Prensky focuses on how to best put human minds and digital tools together wisely in school and in life. In education he takes the perspective of the students, as well as than the providers, offering solutions both for how to teach and motivate today’s students, and for how to motivate and reinvigorate teachers. Through his writings and talks, he helps educators learn to adapt their pedagogy in ways that are far more effective for the 21st century, including a new form of “partnering” between teachers and students. In his business talks, he shows people how to succeed in the turbulent 21st century.

In his talks around the globe, Marc initiates and conducts unique educator-student and manager-worker dialogues about the teaching, training and learning processes. His innovative combination of pedagogy and technology— including digital game-based learning, where he was an early business pioneer—is becoming increasingly accepted and used worldwide as the wave of the future. Marc also focuses on how to teach future-oriented skills—including problem-solving, partnering, collaborating in online communities, video-making and programming—as an integrated part of all curricula. He is a strong partisan of teachers’ knowing and using students’ individual passions as motivators and of students’ participation in the design of their own education.

Marc has published five books and scores of essays and articles, including the seminal "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" in 2001. His books include "Digital Game-Based Learning," "Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning," "Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning" and "From Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom" and "BRAIN GAIN: Technology and the Quest for Digital Wisdom." He graduated cum laude from Oberlin College, holds Master’s degrees from Yale University, Middlebury College, and from The Harvard Business School with distinction, ran a charter school in East Harlem, NY, and has taught at all levels, from elementary to college.

Marc also performed on Broadway and at Lincoln Center, worked on Wall Street, and spent six years as a corporate strategist and product development director with the prestigious Boston Consulting Group. After his wide variety of experiences, he is thrilled to be back working in the field of education and learning.

Marc is a native New Yorker, where he lives with his wife Rie, a Japanese writer, and their son Sky.