Motivating Digital Natives

So here's the Wednesday thing:
I was listening to Prof. Wagner's speech about student success, and he got to the "What motivates the Digital Natives" part, and I decided to make my in-house DN walk around the block with me and explain it.  Very low tech, sneakers. (to put this in context, she will be a sophomore in college next week, and this summer has been interesting as we renegotiate our home dynamics)  Things I've noticed about her & her cohorts this summer (in order of Prof. Wagner's list)
1. "Instant gratification and always-on connection":  Yup.  Her phone is ALWAYS with her.  Except in the shower, and then she checks it immediately upon finishing.  This is NORMAL.  I think of my phone as an intrusion on my private time, and frequently don't bother to answer it. If there's blood or a fire, they'll call back.  She and her cohorts need to check in with each other often, with varying schedules depending on the degree of friendship.  Her phone doesn't work in Canada, and when she came back across the border after a 3 day absence, it beeped continuously for 10 minutes.
2. "Use the web for a) extending friendships, b) self-directed learning, c) self-expression": Yup.  Between skyping with the boyfriend and cousins, checking up on the Mercer Report, or updating Facebook, she could spend all day on the web.  However, back to a blog post from class about helping kids sustain focus, I still think that self-discipline is the key.  Which takes maturity, which she has, but my first graders do not.
3.  "Constantly connected, creating, & multitasking, except in school":  Hmmm, in a way.  Yup, she can crochet a frisbee, watch Eureka, and text a friend all at the same time.  I take exception with the "except in school" part.  I see the projects and papers that she does at school, I think they're very connected.
4. "...Learning from peers...": Yup.  They really springboard off each other, especially when they're excited about something.  The "...less fear & respect for authority..." part, did anyone here live through the 60's?  For heaven's sake, etiquette has been going to heck in a hand-basket since my grandmother's time.
5.  "Want to make a difference and do interesting/worthwhile work".  YES!  Isn't this exciting?  These kiddos aren't out just to make a buck, they want to make their lives count.  How did they get that way?  Why aren't my grade-schoolers that way?  Is it their poverty/bad home-life?  Someone wrote earlier on the class blog about kids that struggle so at home that they don't have any energy left for school.  I see that in my school every day too.
So what's the bottom line?  Time for us DI's to wake up and smell the chai.  Actually, past time.  On our walk, her phone buzzed, and I was annoyed, but she said to me that "this is just how we are.  All of us.  This is our normal."  If they want to be connected constantly, then we need to facilitate that.  Have a class blog. Collaborate in groups more.  Stand back and let them use the Flip camera to make the PSAs, instead of doing it myself.  They'll figure it out.  Dare I say it?  maybe they could talk in class more....