I feel that as digital natives they think that they have the right to use their devices. In their world the device is a must have. Unlike us who feel that having the device is a privilege to have. With this said most Gen Y’ers, use their devices as an extension to them. To ask them to live without it would like asking us to live without our cars. As the car became an extension to move around, the phones, PDA’s and laptops are all apart of them. I teach technology and in class I have to remind them that they are here to learn how it work and how to make it work for others. With this tie in, most of them are happy to put it down for a short while.
My Gen Y-ers would be lost without their laptops. Understanding that I encourage them to use them in the class setting for research on in class group projects. I also allow them to be used in conjunction with their written tests.
Frank,
this is an excellent point regarding their view of technology. We really do need to try & help them realize that it is not a right & that there are benefits to putting them down once in a while.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It does seem that digital natives have a certain "dependency" on technology that the previous generations do not. As has been stated by many previous comments, Gen Y students are very uncomfortable when separated from their phones for any length of time. Of course, they have achieved a great deal of expertise in finding information and communicating with others on these devices. They do amaze me with their matter of fact attitude with what they can do with these devices. And they do seem to be up on events as they happen. Conversly, they prefer to use technology in most all aspects of their life that they can get away with. That can be interperated as showing a lack of respect by other generations.
Generation Yers are super digital natives! It's like second nature to them. Recently, we were having a discussion in one of my classes about current political events and one of the students brought up Mitt Romney's latest foot-in-mouth statement. Within seconds, everyone in the classroom had their cell phone out, the article, pictures and even videofeed about the topic! AND IT WAS ONLY MERE SECONDS!!! It was amazing.
Robert...I like your comparison of Gen Y losing their technology to a prior generation not having a clock or watch!! I am one of those...I absolutely feel lost if I don't what time it is...I never would have thought of that analogy, but it's one that sure makes sense to me now!!
I really don't think the "younger" generation sees their almost total dependence on technology(tablets, cell phones etc...). They've never been without these devices...perhaps like Baby Boomers who never knew what it was like without TV's,cars or airplanes.
Chris,
yes,we all have our tech "crutches" which does help us be more understanding of this generation.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
My experience using I-clickers for content review was a very positive and fun class for several reasons;
1. Everyone in the class MUST participate.
2. Response differences generate lively
discussions.
3. How well was the content absorbed/learned.
4. Considerable learning occurs with review of
the response rationales.
5. It's okay to take risks and be in the minority
of response selection. . .if the student is
correct.
6. Students LOVE competition.
Considering that the most popular encyclopedia is no longer in print I think technology is a huge factor with learning for mostly all generations now.
Michelle,
yes & the more we can incorporate the use of technology the better we will be able to engage & help our students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Gen Y's consider technology the norm and cannot survive without it. Without access to the their cell phones or the Internet they are unable to function. It would be interesting to see a Gen Y in the library looking up information with only the Dewey decimal system available for help.
In my classroom, Gen Y views technology as a need; like air food, sleep or something to drink. They are constantly checking email, Facebook, texting and don't understand when I tell them to put their laptop screens down or put their phones away.
Students in my classroom learn when they can use the technologies they have and when they can't because it seems rude to the person presenting information to them.
Diana,
I do think one of the important lessons we can help the Gen Y learner with is that the constant use of technology is a rude behavior & they need to learn when it is appropriate & when it is not.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Every piece of our world works this way. Remember that technology isn't just cell phones cars, elevators, and refrigerators. We rely on t
How little work would you get done if the internet was down I could not even post attendance. You could not be taking this course if the internet was down.
As digital natives how do Gen Y students view technology?
At no time in our history has technology changed the way we live since the industrial revolution. Generation Y has seen the death of many technologies we use to use on a daily basis, Floppy disks, VHS, Cassettes. Generation X saw the death of the slide rule for the portable calculator.
Generation Y sees technology as an evolving force, they are always waiting for the next new thing. Generation Y are consumers they by the newest and throw out the old without a second thought. They are also the first generation to know about the technology of their world than their parents. Thus they treat technology as something to be used rather than feared.
More importantly Generation Y is much better at processing the information that technology flashes at us every day. They read headlines rather than the entire article. They won’t read a book or an encyclopedia because of things like CTRL+F. The amount of information they have at your fingertips could be bigger than all the libraries in the world combined.
Lastly you have to keep in mind that Generation Y views technology as a toy and a tool. Non Digital natives tend to view technology as just a tool a dangerous tool at that. They are afraid they will cut themselves, digital natives are not afraid of a few cuts. Because they always have CTRL+Z.
Gen Y students are accustomed to receiving information at instantly. If these students have a question or a problem, they can simply perform an internet search. Yes, they are tech savvy and may feel as if they are "well informed." Instructors may help maximize transfer of learning amongst their students with the Socratic Method and experiential learning theory, prompting collaborative inquiry.
James,
we need to help them realize that they can acquire information & think deeply at the same time.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
They view it as integral to their daily lives. It is almost an extension of who they are, and it is obvious that the need to stay connected creeps into the classroom creating a challenge for the students to stay focused on the lesson.
It almost seems as though they live in the present, and so, need to know what is going on at that very moment in their friends' lives. Also, this plays into their view of education as they look for a direct and present connection to the material. If the lesson is viewed as something that "may" be useful in the future, they will disconnect. These students want to see the practical applications of the knowledge now.
I agree with you Professor that I hope that this is "fixable". Perhaps because these students are used to being constantly "in network" in other words knowing exactly who is calling/texting/emailing at all times, it can be difficult to turn this of. I mean this can be similar to if we think about a game that we are playing or a book that we can't seem to put down, it is all about knowing the limits and when it should be turned off and when it is appropriate. I do believe that if students understand and even see how this is affecting them professionally and why it is considered rude, the behavior may change.
