From the moment I got the Internet at home - years ago.....I have been hoplessly intrigued with technology and how it impacts the world around us. As an educator I am amazed with the ease and fluidity that most students embrace technology. Not just as a tool to be used to type an essay but how it is socially a part of who they are -this demographic group known as Generation C.
There has been a lot of articles lately on Generation C. Some people scoff and say this is just another label for marketing to grab onto. As an educator, curriculum and interactive media developer....I think we need to look at this generation with "new eyes."
Times are a changin..............
My husband and I recently visited friends and family in Canada. I was visiting my good friends whose kids are our god children - ages 13 and 15. My god daughter had two of her girlfriends over for a sleep-over. We were all outside enjoying a hot Manitoba summer when my god son came out shaking his head. He went on to say that his sister was on the main floor on the laptop and her girlfriends were upstairs on the office computer. They were talking to each other through MSN.
Interesting.....teenagers find it very intuitive and comfortable to communicate through MSN instead of sitting around face-to-face?
What does this mean for educators in the classroom and those that are developing curriculum?
I have even noticed changes in how I communicate. I went to the bank the other day to withdraw some money. There was a line-up at the ATM but not inside with the tellers. I chose to stand in line at the ATM rather than walk in to talk to a teller.
Times are a changin..............
Technology is having a huge impact on how we think, communicate and interact with the world around us. My god children's generation has had technology evolving around them from the moment they entered this world. On the other hand, I am a digital immigrant...one who was an amazing typist on an electric typewritter in high school...that was my technology. Then I entered university and discovered the Macintosh computer and a software program called HyperStudio (hyperstack).
I was in University in an integrated program that included textile design (as a major focus) and education. I became very intriqued on how I could fuse together this new tool called a computer and my love for design. This started my love/hate relationship and journey with technology.
One I hope to have fun with, explore and dissect through this blog.
Cheers
Brenda
