Net Generations Reflection # 4

The article, Is it Age or IT: First Steps Towards Understanding the Net Generation, hit many valuable points. One statement mentioned in the article stood out to me due to a recent interaction with my three year old niece. The article stated that children may be developing greater digital literacy than siblings who are just a few years older. I agree with that statement a great deal. I remember being younger and the access to technology wasn't as accessible as it is today. There were no digital tablets, iPods, iPads, touch screen cellular phones, or even high speed internet. Like I mentioned before, I thought of my three year old niece who is hearing impaired when I came across that statement. I was stunned to see how she operated her kindle fire that she received for her third birthday. Although she is hearing impaired, she knew just how to operate and download the kid games and learning tools just by watching her mother one time. She began playing a matching game for numbers that was timed and won every time. I couldn't believe how quickly she grasped the concept of that game. Seeing that made me realize how technology has drastically changed the dynamic of learning and accessibility to information right at our fingertips.

I found the questions in this week's reflection very interesting. But most of all my answers as follows:

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Are you more comfortable composing documents online than longhand? I am comfortable with composing documents online rather then on paper. I believe it cuts out the drawn out process of having to write a rough draft then revise, when you can do it all at once on the computer.

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Have you turned your "remembering" (phone numbers, meetings, and so on) over to a technology device? Yes... I use to be the queen of remembering a phone number as it was given to me, however, I no longer can remember phone numbers besides my parents.

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Do you go to meetings with your laptop, iPad, or tablet? Yes I go to meetings with my tablet. 

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Are you constantly connected? Is the Internet always on whether you are at home or work? Is your cell phone always with you? I can honestly say that I am ALWAYS connected. I cannot be away from my cellphone for too long, otherwise I will freak out. As for the internet no matter where I am, I have access to it, whether it's my cellular, my tablet, or if I am at work or at home.

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How many different activities can you effectively engage in at one time? I can honestly say that I am a multi-tasker, I can be on average engage to about four things. Whether it's computer, cell, TV, or tablet. 

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Do you play video or computer games?   I don't really play video games anymore because I have outgrown it I believe, however, I do play games on my cell phone or tablet. They are great time wasters.

    

What generational category do you fall in or are you a mixture of a few? I am the Net Generation of when it first began. 



The implication mentioned in the article of the Net Generation, technology incorporated in higher education is preferred. However, it is the enabling of certain types of activities that are used with technology. The convenience of using technology and collaborating and customizing a course that is online or an activity that is used in a class depends on how deep the student can put time into a class due to their daily lives and busy schedules. But, for those that crave the accessibility of how convenient technology is along with the activities they can access at their finger tips, the Net Generation is more prone to wanting technology in higher education. After all technology is used constantly in all different forms throughout their daily lives.