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. . . But Net Geners Learn Differently
Although they value education highly, Net Geners learn differently from their predecessors. This generation is unique in that it is the first to grow up with digital and cyber technologies. Not only are Net Geners acculturated to the use of technology, they are saturated with it. By the time he or she has reached 21 years of age, the average NetGener will have spent
• 10,000 hours playing video games,
• 200,000 e-mails,
• 20,000 hours watching TV,
• 10,000 hours on cell phones, and
• under 5,000 hours reading
Net Geners' habituated use of media in many different formats highlights another clearly notable characteristic of their learning style. Multitasking is an integral part of the Net Generation lifestyle
Accustomed as they are to multiple stimuli, Net Geners report being bored in the traditional classroom, even as older educators bemoan Net Geners' short attention span. Research explains that students have a very short attention span in part because of the media that we as teachers and parents have encouraged them to spend their time with, and in part because we haven't taught them to have longer attention spans.
Net Geners, however, typically do not accept the notion that the problem is a lack of attention span. They maintain instead that a lack of time compels them to multitask. It is important for educators to understand that, at least sometimes, when Net Geners complain that a particular subject seems unnecessary, they may not be expressing a lack of interest. Rather, the range of activities demanding the time and attention of young people may make them less patient with lessons that do not directly apply to their chosen careers. Multitasking, Net Geners claim, simply helps them get everything done. Whatever the motivation, educators must contend with the fact that multitasking is a way of life for many of today's students.
Interestingly, research maintains that educators bear significant responsibility for this problem. In attempting to accommodate the learning styles of the Net Generation, educators often encourage their students to use various media in their work while failing to teach the equally important benefits of slowing down, focusing, and contemplating material deeply. As a result, administrators are giving up on a core lesson: teaching students how to think on their own and to communicate their ideas clearly. "We have told them, 'We want to hear what you have to say, your opinion matters, nothing you can say is wrong—we can only just sort of add to it,'", "There is a growing assumption that what matters is how you express yourself, not whether anyone can understand what you have expressed".
While appealing to the media proficiencies of Net Generation students can yield the short-term advantages of increased student engagement, such a shift often caters to those students who seek to complete work with a minimum of effort.
How effective is blogging in stimulating student engagement?
To what extent do you concur with the above research?
How well do you learn in an online environment?
