I hear it at least once a week. A grandiose statement about how savvy twenty-somethings are and that they are the experts in exploring and using technology. I interact with that generation every week at the college level, and see a different type of native. In the past two years, I have had students who:
- Did not know how to upload a document into an online dropbox;
- Have never read a blog
- Have only used Facebook, Reddit and YouTube
- Are afraid to use an online learning system or take an online class
I don’t want to make a similar grandiose statement to say that all twenty-somethings are digitally averse, but it’s clear to me that we should not make assumptions either way and use every opportunity to share the rush that comes from learning something new in the digital universe.
Conversely, my students have also taught me about what’s important to them in their digital lives.
This has broad implications for school systems, for employers AND for students. It’s not about your age. It’s not about whether you are a Boomer or Gen whatever, it’s about teaching the next generation to learn by exploring.
Photo by Anthro 136k on Flickr. Published under Creative Commons license.