Prensky’s seminal work on digital natives posited that students who grew up with digital technology were naturally digitally skilled and literate (Prensky, 2001). This assumption has been widely debated and, in some instances, debunked, especially in the context of higher education (Ladd et al., 2023; Reid et al., 2023; Smith et al., 2020). And yet the belief that students are inherently digitally literate persists, particularly at the graduate level. Faculty and administrators often expect graduate students to possess a certain level of proficiency with technology, offering minimal resources to develop or enhance these skills.
Not Just a No-Show: Understanding Faculty Absence at Graduation
Each spring, university campuses are spruced up: Lawns are mowed and stages assembled, and rows of chairs fill the arena. Graduation is a time-honored tradition, celebrating students’ hard work and
Heidi Hillman
July 21, 2025
