Thursday, January 28, 2010

Who Are the Digital Generation?

Have you ever said to someone: “What did we ever do before the internet?” or “How did we manage without cell phones?” Those questions may have come out of your mouth more than once, but the under 25 generation will never ask those questions. They are the Digital Generation and they were born with a mouse in one hand and a cell phone in the other. They are today’s students and they are a generation whose lives revolve around digital media.

Students today won’t open up an encyclopedia to do research for a paper. They’ll Google the topic to conduct their research. Today’s students will text message and instant message.  They will use “LOL” in their everyday speech.  They connect through Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. They are focused on media and devices that will allow them to connect and socialize with one another at a moments’ notice.

So how do you connect with these students who appear to exist in a whole different world than you have come to understand? As administrators, it is vital to understand how today’s students communicate and socialize.  In the next post, I’ll discuss why this understanding is so important and how Connected Culture will help you connect with the Digital Generation.