Shelly,
that is interesting. I know some schools prohibit while others encourage that interaction between instructors & students.
Dr. Ryan Meers
One of my students told me, "If it isn't on the Internet it didn't really happen."
I believe they don't "see it" it is part of who they are. They know no other way of being.
Kevin,
while that is sad...I'm not sure I could've kept a straight face in that situation. It's sad, but funny!
Dr. Ryan Meers
They feel lost when they are not "connected." I feel that they lose touch with the real world this way as well.
They have to be plugged in at all times,as a boomers it is something we have to get used to.
Growing up with technology makes it as important as breathing to them. I have to stress the fact while having all this information availible to them, at their fingertips is incredible, they need to learn to think their wat through problems as well. This isn't something I need to stress as much with older generations.
Gen Y looks at technology as a necessary part of their lives. We baby boomers think of gadgets as cool and nice to have, but we could live without them.
I make a joke in class that if the computers of the world all crashed they would be lost. Sad but true.
I agree with Jessie, students of this generation act as if they cannot go without using some type of device at all times. They actually seem to get nervous if they cannot use their cell phones at any time.
Sabine,
it does seem to be this way; & what a great chance for us to be able to reengage them with the real world.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Rocco,
there is definitely a generational difference at work & both sides need to meet in the middle.
Dr. Ryan Meers
They think that there is nothing you can do without technology. If the internet went down, these people would think the world came to an end. They do not know how to "imaginative play" like we did as youngsters. Everything has to be on a tablet, a game console, or a cell phone.
Without tech, it is true that most would be lost. Some would even starve to death as they have never learned to "farm" but they can order a pizza online.
I believe they strive to learn this way. From the time they could walk and talk most had some type of hand held device in there hand. It has become part of them.
I feel that Gen Y students are "addicted" to
technology. They don't know how to live off-the-grid. If they drop and break their phone they are upset until it is replaced.
Technology is an all access pass that can provide information, communication, etc. I do not want to generalize in my response to this question and group all Gen Y students together as a group who cannot live without their devices as if it were their life source. As a whole by bringing computers into classrooms we have contributed to a society where we want everything on the spot and news travels around the globe in an instant. Technology is a means of communication for everyone.
kind of scarey that as soon as any happens to their phone their whole life falls apart.
Gen Y students view technology as a part of every day life. Without technology this generation would have great difficulty in finding thier way around lifes simple tasks.
What I have found interesting is, yes, they are very comfortable with all the technology that surronds them, but they have a great curiosity for eariler tech tools also. I was discussing working out square roots with a calculator and I explained to them in my day I had to use a slide rule, then showed them a pic of one. They were completely fasinated and wanted to know how it worked! I really believe the Gen Y's love to learn even if it is old or new tech.
