[WEB4LIB] "Generation shifts" and technology

[Fiona Bradley]

Bernie,

Thanks for posting this. I have seen assumptions made about younger
generations made over and over again with little substance to back them
up. As a member of that generation (I'm 26), I constantly see widely
varying skills and usage of technology. One thing that is missing is a
survey of the quality of usage of these tools - when people use Instant
Message do they know many of the features, or just duplicate what they
would say on SMS? Can people actually use a computer with confidence, or
do they just know how to type up a letter in Word? Do younger people
approach computers with an intuitive approach, or just follow the steps
they've been taught?

The problem is then that ensuing assumptions are made that young people
don't need training on technology because "they already know it all" and
so technology just remains a gadget - not a tool to assist in achieving
something else. And this is starting to lead to problems in the
workplace.

There have been recent discussions on Slashdot that the sophistication
of software is actually hurting younger people, especially budding
programmers, because unlike being able to build applications from the
ground up in a simplified language in the past, tools today are so
over-the-top in features that just learning how to use the software,
before you even think about learning programming is too overwhelming.
Link:
http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/03/1641207&tid=156&tid=185&tid=4

However I also agree that there are many people, younger and older, who
are very comfortable using any and all kinds of technology, analysing it
to determine if it meets their needs, and approaching learning with
flexibility. For many young people, including myself, using technology
is easy and is fun, but we definitely need to ensure that we don't
assume that that's the case for everyone. 

regards,
Fiona

Acting Assistant Manager
SBS Radio Resource Centre
Locked Bag 028 
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Australia

Ph: (02) 9430 2862
Email: fiona.bradley at sbs.com.au

>>> "Sloan, Bernie" <bernies at uillinois.edu> 6/01/2005 9:50:03 am >>>
<snip>
I guess my point is that every generation has members who take to
technology like a duck to water, and every generation has members who
aren't particularly technologically adept, and who couldn't care less
that they aren't.

Bernie Sloan
Senior Library Information Systems Consultant, ILCSO
University of Illinois Office for Planning and Budgeting
616 E. Green Street, Suite 213
Champaign, IL  61820

Phone: (217) 333-4895
Fax:   (217) 265-0454
E-mail: bernies at uillinois.edu