Generation Gap

I'm back to writing about EdTech.

For years we have heard how our youth are much more savvy with technology than adults.  I read an interesting article today that reports research that suggests the contrary.  The study was done with college age students (I believe).  The findings include that the younger students are adept at using technology for social and entertainment means, but not so adept at using it for their own intellectual learning (as opposed to older students).

Also apparent to me (being a PK-12 educator) is the existence of  a good percentage of kids that indulge in social media, and technology in general, who don't necessarily use it appropriately (ethically, morally, legally, etc.)  This use is NOT due to the nature of technology, it is due to the nature of young people trying to find a place in the world.  Whether "real" or "virtual", it has always been the adults that are charged with helping our youth differentiate between danger and safety.  And, today, adults are largely unequipped to deal with these inappropriate uses.  Why?  Because even our adults have not embraced technology as a means for life-long learning.  The shame is that this is where our kids live and what are we doing to help them be literate in this "new world"?

As I see it, the generation gap is not defined by technology.  It is defined by the willingness to take risks.  Us old folks are less willing to learn new things, so we shy away from the exponential growth of new technologies.  Our youth embrace everything new, but they do it in a way that meshes with their interests and helps them connect with their world.  For a young person, this is primarily social.

Our adult population has adopted the social mentality as well, yet the adoption was a tad slower for the old folks.  Our adults have been mimicking the actions of our youth.  How many adults have reconnected with classmates of years past due to Facebook?  How many adults feel comfortable sharing pictures of their kids online, but aren't connected and share with a larger world to help them be better at their profession?

We owe it to our kids to help them discover the wonderful opportunities technology affords and to teach them how they can use it responsibly. 

For more information on helping kids learn these lessons, check out Common Sense Media, or the Digital Driver's License.

It's time we all step into the digital age, stop using technology for purely social/entertainment purposes, and help our youth learn to respect the plethora of sharers in this world.