Marc Prensky

He was the author of seven books: Digital Game-Based Learning (McGraw-Hill 2001), Don't Bother Me Mom – I'm Learning (Paragon House 2006), Teaching Digital Natives (Corwin Press 2010), From Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom: Hopeful Essays for 21st Century Learning (2012), Brain Gain: Technology and the Quest for Digital Wisdom (2012), The World Needs a New Curriculum (The Global Future Education Foundation, 2014), Education To Better Their World: Unleashing the power of 21st century kids (Teachers College Press, 2016) and 100 essays on learning and education. Prensky also designed the first first-person-shooter game for corporate training (Straight Shooter, 1987) and a suite of eight learning game templates (For Corporate Gameware in 1996). Prensky began his career as a teacher in Harlem, New York. He has taught in elementary school, (New Haven, Connecticut), high school (New York, New York), and college (Wagner College, Staten Island, New York) and in the mid-1970s he also earned money playing his lute in a classical music restaurant/bar. Prensky died from pancreatic cancer on May 15, 2025, at the age of 79.

• Name — Marc Prensky • Born — 15 March 1946 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Died — 15 May 2025 • Place of death — Palo Alto, California, U.S. • Education — Oberlin College Yale University Harvard Business School • Occupation — Author, speaker

Prensky's professional focus was on K-12 education reform. His books address tools (Digital Game-Based Learning), pedagogy (Teaching Digital Natives), curriculum (The World Needs a New Curriculum) and the entire k-12 system (Education to Better Their World). Prensky was a strong advocate for listening more carefully to what students say about their own education. In his speaking engagements he has conducted approximately 100 student panels in 40 countries. He has been named a "guiding star of the new parenting movement" by Parental Intelligence Newsletter.

• Games and Simulation in Online Learning (with Gibson)