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College Students |
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The characteristics of traditional age
(18-to-22-year-old) college students—a group sometimes called the Millennials—have been described by Howe and Strauss as individuals who: |
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Gravitate toward group activity
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Identify with parents' values and feel close to
their parents
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Believe it's cool to be smart
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Are fascinated by new technologies
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Are racially and ethnically diverse; one in five
has at least one immigrant parent
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Are focused on grades and performance
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Are busy with extracurricular activities
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When asked about the biggest problem facing their
generation, many respond that it is the poor example that adults set for
kids. |
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Individuals raised with the computer deal with
information differently compared to previous cohorts: "they develop
hypertext minds, they leap around." A linear thought process is
much less common than bricolage, or the ability to or piece information
together from multiple sources. Among other differences are their: |
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Ability to read visual images—they
are intuitive visual communicators
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Visual-spatial skills—perhaps
because of their expertise with games they can integrate the virtual
and physical
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Inductive discovery—they learn
better through discovery than by being told
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Attentional deployment—they are
able to shift their attention rapidly from one task to another, and
may choose not to pay attention to things that don't interest them
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Fast response time—they are able
to respond quickly and expect rapid responses in return
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Although many observations can be made about the Net
Generation, several merit special mention because of the potential
impact on higher education. |
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Having grown up with widespread access to
technology, the Net Gen is able to intuitively use a variety of IT
devices and navigate the Internet. Although they are comfortable using
technology without an instruction manual, their understanding of the
technology or source quality may be shallow.
The Net Gen are more visually literate than previous
generations; many express themselves using images. They are able to
weave together images, text, and sound in a natural way. Their ability
to move between the real and the virtual is instantaneous, expanding
their literacy well beyond text. Because of the availability of visual
media, their text literacy may be less well developed than previous
cohorts.
Students are more likely to use the Internet for
research than the library (73 percent). When asked, two-thirds of
students indicated they know how to find valid information from the Web.
However, they realize that the Web does not meet all their information
needs. |
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"As long as they've been alive, the world has been a
connected place, and more than any preceding generation they have seized
on the potential of networked media." While highly mobile, moving from
work to classes to recreational activities, the Net Gen is always
connected. According to one student, "I like how cell phones work—you
can always get ahold of someone, and it goes with you wherever you go."
The particular device may change depending on circumstance (for example,
laptop, cell phone), but they are constantly connected and always on. |
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Whether it is the immediacy with which a response is
expected or the speed at which they are used to receiving information,
the Net Gen is fast. They multitask, moving quickly from one activity to
another, sometimes performing them simultaneously. They have fast
response times, whether playing a game or responding to an IM. In fact,
more value may be placed on speed than on accuracy. |
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Most Net Gen learners prefer to learn by doing
rather by being told what to do. The role having grown up with video
games plays in this preference is unclear, but Net Gen students learn
well through discovery—by exploring for themselves or with their peers.
This exploratory style enables them to better retain information and use
it in creative, meaningful ways. |
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"Prolific communicators, they gravitate toward
activities that promote and reinforce social interaction—whether IMing
old friends, teaming up in an Internet game, posting Web diaries (blogging),
or forwarding joke e-mails." The Net Gen displays a striking openness to
diversity, differences, and sharing; they are at ease meeting strangers
on the Net. Many of their exchanges on the Internet are emotionally
open, sharing very personal information about themselves. The Net Gen
has developed a mechanism of inclusiveness that does not necessarily
involve personally knowing someone admitted to their group. Being a
friend of a friend is acceptable. They seek to interact with others,
whether in their personal lives, their online presence, or in class.
(Sometimes the interaction is through an alternative identity.
Significant numbers of teens assume an online identity that is different
from their own.) Although technology can't change one's personality,
introverts, for example, use the Internet as a tool to reach out. These
social connections through e-mail might not have happened before.
Extroverts can make their circle of friends even larger.
The Net Gen also exhibits learning preferences that
are closely related to their characteristics. For example, their social
nature leads aligns with their preference to work in teams or interact
peer-to-peer. Net Gen learning preferences that may impact higher
education include the following.
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The Net Gen often prefers to learn and work in
teams. A peer-to-peer approach is common, as well, where students help
each other. In fact, Net Geners find peers more credible than teachers
when it comes to determining what is worth paying attention to. |
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The Net Gen is very achievement oriented. "They want
parameters, rules, priorities, and procedures … they think of the world
as scheduled and someone must have the agenda." As a result, they like
to know what it will take to achieve a goal. Their preference is for
structure rather than ambiguity. |
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The Net Gen is oriented toward inductive discovery
or making observations, formulating hypotheses, and figuring out the
rules. They crave interactivity. And the rapid pace with which they like
to receive information means they often choose not to pay attention if a
class is not interactive, unengaging, or simply too slow. The Net Gen
may need to be encouraged to stop experiencing and spend time
reflecting. |
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The Net Gen is more comfortable in image-rich
environments than with text. Researchers report Net Gen students will
refuse to read large amounts of text, whether it involves a long reading
assignment or lengthy instructions. In a study that altered instructions
from a text-based step-by-step approach to one that used a graphic
layout, refusals to do the assignment dropped and post-test scores
increased. The Net Gen's experiential nature means they like doing
things, not just thinking or talking about things. |
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The Net Gen readily takes part in community
activities. Given a choice, they seem to prefer working on things that
matter, such as addressing an environmental concern or a community
problem. They believe they can make a difference and that science and
technology can be used resolve difficult problems. |
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Source: Is It Age or IT: First Steps
Toward Understanding the Net Generation
Diana Oblinger
EDUCAUSE
James Oblinger
North Carolina State University
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http://www.educause.edu/IsItAgeorIT%3AFirstStepsTowardUnderstandingtheNetGeneration/6058 |
