Grown Up Digital: The Net Generation as Learners

[Andrew Crapo]

I borrowed a copy of Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott from the library (can you believe it--it isn't available on-line) to read Chapter 5, The Net Generation as Learners. I actually read the chapters leading up to and some after as well. Here's a summary of my takeaways.

The message of the chapter is that to be effective with the Net Generation, education needs to move from broadcast to interactive learning. Young people do not want to sit passively and listen to a lecture in the classroom. Boredom in school is a contributor to dropout rates and under-achievement. "...I believe we can help this generation live up to their potential in this digital world by dumping the Industrial Age model of education and replacing it with a new one.

"Instead of focusing on the teacher, the education system should focus on the student.

"Instead of lecturing, teachers should interact with students and help them discover for themselves.

"Instead o delivering a one-size-fits-all form of education, schools should customize the education to fit each child's individual way of learning.

"Instead of isolation students, the schools should encourage them to collaborate." (Grown Up Digital, pg 122)

The chapter is full of descriptions of teachers and schools that are achieving success in such a revolution. It is introduced by quoting some of the numbers from A Vision of Students Today. There are interesting sequels to this including A Vision of K-12 Students Today and A Vision of K-12 Students Today-2011.