Today more so than ever technology has evolved in our language. The Net Generation’s world revolves around technology, it is the world in which they live and communicate. I grew up in the Net Generation and am very familiar with the language. Technology is integrated in my personal and academic life in so many ways. I purchase almost everything online, chat with my friends online, check the news, weather, movie times and lottery ticket online, communicate with friends and family online, work online, pay bills online etc. My two children ages 1 and 3 are also members of the Net Generation. My son who is 3 years old knows how to navigate through interactive games and use the mouse. He can go on the computer and choose his favorite game to play. My daughter at 1 year knows how to play baby games on my Ipod Touch. My parents on the other hand, who can barely use the mouse on the computer or send a text message are astonished to see their grandchildren using the computer at such a young age; and how much smarter they are at ages 1 and 3 compared to kids 20 years ago. Whenever I talk about emails or Instant messaging and how I multitask between the television, importing pictures, surfing the net and listening to music, My mom and dad who are Digital Immigrants are clueless- they would rather communicate the way they are used to and do things one at a time. They have cell phones just for emergencies and their camera actually has film that they take to walmart to be developed.
Chapter 5 of Educause is about the Student’s perspective. This chapter is very interesting because it talks about the Net Geners drive to succeed with the plethora of information in the palm of their hands; they feel that they are smarter, easily adaptable, and more likely to use technology to solve problems of the past and present generations. The Net Generation according to Paul Hagner not only posses the skills necessary to use new communication forms, but there is an ever increasing expectation on their part that these new communication paths be used. I agree that the Net Generation is lazy because as stated in the article, students don’t go to the library anymore, they search online; they don’t pick up the dictionary anymore, they go to dictionary.com instead. But with access to so much information at their fingertips anytime, how can anyone not become reliable on technology? I think it is possible that Net Geners can learn about anything by means of technology if they want to learn and if that is how they learn better.
In Chapter 6 of Educause the authors discuss preparing the academy of today for the learner of tomorrow. Generations and technology was discussed for Matures, Baby Boomers, Gen-Xers and the Net Generation. It is interesting how technology has advanced from large vacuum tube radios to tiny MP3, cell phones and PDA’s. Computers are so different now with the advent of digital technology. The reports from the Pew internet and American Life Project show that one in five of today’s college students began using computers between the ages of 5 and 8; by the time they were 16 to 18, all of them used computers. Nationwide, nearly 90 percent of college students have gone online, compared with about 60 percent of the general population. Imagine that, 60% of the general population today use the internet… now I know why Apple, Verizon, Samsung etc. are making so much money inventing and selling new technology every couple of months. The Net Geners are up to date with all the mobile multifunctional devices. Who would have thought that cell phones today could be used for text messages, taking pictures and videos, surfing the net, calling each other and so much more. The Net Generation don’t even have to read directions to figure something that is very complicated, they just fiddle around with it and figure it out, it’s like second nature to them. Students’ behaviors, attitudes and expectations are generally shaped by their generation. Whatever the generation, Baby boomers, Gen-Xers or Net Geners the students believe that excellent instructors can help students learn even with technology; technology is just a very helpful tool in the learning process.
There were some interesting statistical analysis in chapter 7 of Educause. It is no surprise that there is a trend among college students who own (93.4%) some kind of technology and have access to technology. Females tend to own cell phones (84.7%) than males (7.7%). It was fascinating that the Net Generation students actually had mixed feelings about the use of technology in teaching and learning in the classroom. I think that technology in the classroom depends on the individual’s needs and personal experience. Some students may like just taking classes online, while others prefer going to class and having face to face interaction with peers and teachers; and then there are those students would rather have both interaction and technology. I personally prefer going to class and having face to face interaction along with using technology as a tool for better understanding. Since I’ve been out of school for over 10 years, everything is new and exciting to me. I love the fact that we can incorporate technology in every facet of life including language.
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