I am going to take this course next. The difference in generations is interesting in work habits, attitude about learning, social media influences, as well as brain receptiveness. According to Nicholas Carr, in his famous article, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" originally written for The Atlantic, electronic devices may actually be changing our brain circuitry and the way we think (and behave). So, this is not all hardware oriented, but also a soft skills shift in generational differences. Carr goes on to state that the inventions of the clock, the printing press, as well as the current advances in electronic media has given the younger generation(Millenials) shorter attention spans, more shallow reading skills, and a general lack of in-depth critical thinking. THis can be seen in the move from traditional books and bookstores to e-books and Kindles. It is not all a negative change, however, as the new inventions can be used in innovative ways. Hwoever, I do wonder if Carr is correct. Have we lost the ability to be human, and philosophize, think critically, and solve problems, or, have the elctronic devices made us more robotic? It is an interesting question, and one that will need to be addressed, not only in the classroom, but also in the workplace and society now, and for future generations.
Nancy
