Traditional-age students who are now entering colleges and universities may never have known life without the Internet. They consider the Internet essential to life, learning, work, and leisure and have different behaviors, attitudes, and aptitudes as a result of their exposure to technology. In many cases, the perspective of the Net Generation varies significantly from that of today's college and university administrators and faculty.
Questions the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) explores include:
Who are our students? What are the demographics, needs, circumstances, life experiences, learning styles, and motivations of this generation of students?
In what ways might Net Generation learners differ from previous generations in how they think, learn, interact, and collaborate due to their experience with technology?
What are students' expectations for teaching, learning, service, and support?
In this transition period, when three or four "generations" may be represented by students, faculty, and staff, is there a set of principles common across these generations that might help guide interaction, planning, and practices?
Educating the Net Generation, An EDUCAUSE e-Book
For anyone interested in Net Generation learners, Educating the Net Generation, the first EDUCAUSE e-book, is a must-read. It describes the aptitudes, attitudes, expectations, and learning styles of learners who came of age with information technology. It discusses the implications the Net Gen holds for institutions in areas such as teaching, service, learning space design, faculty development, and curriculum. Chapters from both educators and students are included.
In addition to the e-book itself, the Educating the Net Generation site incorporates links to text and multimedia resources that provide further context for understanding the Net Generation.
Student Tech Chat (A video created by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign student Emily Retzer exploring students’ attitudes about technology’s current use in the classroom.)
Net Experienced, But How Savvy? (A video of University of Minnesota students video from the University of Minnesota's Digital Media Center presents students talking about how they use digital technology in their lives and learning. It also compares those perspectives against survey data collected by the Digital Media Center.
Students and Social Networking Applications (A video from the University of Dayton that features students discussing in their own words how and why they use social networking applications such as Facebook.)
If Higher Education Listened to Me (A video of University of Central Florida students discussing their views on teaching, learning, and technology)
Why Games? (A video of University of Central Flordia students sharing their thoughts on why they are drawn to computer games and how they see the elements of those games applying to learning)
Carie Windham, "What Students Have to Say," ELI Web seminar, January 2007. Note: The hyperlink above provides access to an archive of the online session that includes full audio.
Jared Lang, Jessica Vargas, Christopher Conover, "A Net Gen Student Perspective: Technology in Higher Education," ELI Web seminar, May 2007. Note: The hyperlink above provides access to an archive of the online session that includes full audio.
W. Gardner Campbell, Charles D. Dziuban, and Joel L. Hartman, "Net Gen Learners: What Are Their Expectations?" Seminars on Academic Computing (SAC) - Directors Leadership Seminar, August 2006.
Diana Oblinger, "Educating the Net Generation," The Key to Competitiveness: Creating a Culture of Student Success (An AASCU / EDUCAUSE / University of Central Florida Event), June 2006.
Diana Oblinger, "The Next Generation Course," The Key to Competitiveness: Creating a Culture of Student Success (An AASCU / EDUCAUSE / University of Central Florida Event), June 2006.
Tony Caravano, Mary C. Milan, and Nancy R. Zagbayou, "Listen to Your Learners" (Student Panel Discussion), ELI Web Symposium - Education for Our Times: Expertise and Engagement, May 2006. Note: The hyperlink above provides access to an archive of the online session that includes full audio.
Diana Oblinger, "Integrating Tradition and Technology," UCPL Presents, University Computer Policy and Law Program, Cornell University, February 2006.
Charles Dziuban and Patsy Moskal, "Do the Data Support Our Assumptions?" The Key to Competitiveness: Creating a Culture of Student Success (An AASCU / EDUCAUSE / University of Central Florida Event), June 2006.
Joel L. Hartman and Gregory Roberts, "What Does the Net Generation Expect From Us?" Seminars on Academic Computing (SAC) - Directors Leadership Seminar, August 2005. Note: The hyperlink above provides access to an audio recording of the session as well as the PowerPoint presentation.
EDUCAUSE Educating the Net Generation Seminar Proceedings ELI and EDUCAUSE conducted two one-day seminars in 2005 to help higher education representatives better understand and plan for the Net Generation and the challenges it poses for their institutions. The seminar proceedings, including presentations and worksheets, are available for you to use in facilitating discussions on your campus about preparing for the Net Generation.
The Key to Competitiveness (An AASCU / EDUCAUSE / University of Central Florida Event) This Web page contains links to the proceedings from the June 2005 and June 2006 conferences on the technology needs and expectations of next generation learners. The proceedings offer presentations, resources, and links to other relevant Web sites. (Please note that Apple Computer, Inc., cosponsored the 2005 event.)
Marc Prensky Marc Prensky is a leading thinker on the potential applications of gaming to learning. He has developed more than 50 computer-based learning games. His site provides links to the various materials and resources he has developed on gaming and learning, including his writings and Weblog.
Pew Internet & American Life "The Pew Internet & American Life Project produces reports that explore the impact of the Internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life. The Project aims to be an authoritative source on the evolution of the Internet through collection of data and analysis of real-world developments as they affect the virtual world." In addition to reports, the project site provides access to a wide range of resources, including presentations, articles, and survey data.
Tools
ELI Discovery Tools
The following ELI Discovery Tools are designed to help your faculty, staff, and students better understand each other and their needs and expectations relating to technology. Visit the Discovery Tools page to learn more about these ELI resources. PLEASE NOTE: ELI Discovery Tools are open only to ELI members for the first 6 months they are available. If you aren't sure if your institution is an ELI member, please see our list of member organizations.
ELI Discovery Tool: Net Generation Workshop Guide A collection of simple activities and suggested readings on the Net Generation, set up as customizable modules for stand-alone activities or a multiday event.
ELI Student/Faculty Questionnaire A questionnaire designed to help you explore student and faculty experiences and expectations regarding technology in teaching and learning.
Student Input on Learning Spaces Tool A structured yet creative way to help faculty and staff see their campuses as their students do, and thus help them more effectively design institutional learning spaces.
Unless otherwise noted, EDUCAUSE holds the copyright on all materials published by the association, whether in print or electronic form. In certain cases the work remains the intellectual property of the individual author(s) (see Special Circumstances). Content from conference speeches, presentations, blogs, wikis and feeds reflect the opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of EDUCAUSE or its members.
