Abstract: Based on research in higher education in France, Belgium and Colombia we look at differences between digital natives and digital migrants, terms coined by Marc Prensky (2001). Regardless of the neurobiological evidence for the difference the distinction between ‘native’ and ‘immigrant’ as metaphors sets the stage for social constructs rather far removed from the real issues facing the overly confident students (the natives) and their unnecessarily anxious teachers (the migrants). We explore how the careful migrants are in fact often much more involved with and aware of the connection between the use of technology and learning whereas the somewhat cocky natives sometimes seem to assume that the use of technology will automatically contribute to and facilitate learning. The learning required for using the technology is not the same as the use of technology for learning.