Grown+Up+Digital+-+Donald+Tapscott



Grown Up Digital

Donald Tapscott The digital age is not coming; it is not somewhere around the bend; it is not here; it’s been here for a number of years and Donald Tapscott has penned a book that points out to any reader what that means for the world in which they live. In Growing up Digital, he captured the world-changing impact of digital life of the Net Generation and its impact on those who interact with them. This book covers everything we can imagine from daily life to education and citizenship and how this digital age is not just a new iteration of an old style of living but of an entirely new world that looks nothing like the one in which those over 30 might find confusing. Michael McCain, CEO, Maple Leaf Foods states on the cover of this book that “Don Tapscott offers compelling insight into how the Net Generation is changing the nature of work, culture, and government and what that means for anyone who wants to engage them.” (McCain) Every generation is a product of the events that shape their thinking. The Net Generation, the subject of this book, has been defined by events that is instantly exposed, digested and regurgitated through instant responses from not only media but also from peers. The particular events mentioned, “the OJ Simpson trial, the Columbine school shootings, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the Gulf War” (Tapscott, 2008), were events soliciting many emotions, attitudes and beliefs to become part of our daily conversations during the times they were happening. When we consider this, it is appropriate to call these new citizens the first real global generation. Tapscott goes through this book describing eight differentiating characteristics of this Net Generation. The attitudes and behaviors that define them shape the way we can relate to them and understand what that will mean for our future. Ian Jukes in his 21st Century Fluency Project states that “In today's world, it's easy to see just how vital the internalization of these fluencies really is. They are the essential methodology by which the students of today will transform into the architects and leaders of tomorrow. Working together, we will make the future great.” (Jukes, 2011) Freedom, customization, scrutiny, integrity, collaboration, entertainment, speed and innovation are the norms for the generation of students in our schools today. They don’t want to be locked into one life-path; they value the freedom for self-realization of the changing goals and opportunities of a changing world. Change is more exciting that challenging for many of this generation. Customization is their mantra in that environments are so personalized it is not sufficient for the technology to work it is that it needs to work in the ways that best suits their needs; individually not collectively. Today’s students will scrutinize the things in which they participate before committing. They demand integrity of the products they support and that includes the honesty and transparency of those who teach them. There is a natural flow to collaborate with peers to get the best ideas. Net Genners see no reason that work and learning can’t be entertaining or fun. “The old paradigm was that there was a time of day when one worked and a time of day when one relaxed and had fun.” (Tapscott, 2008) The young people expect to enjoy what they do for a living. This generation has grown up in an age where innovation is expected to take place right before their eyes. New iterations of software and hardware appear on the scene multiple times a year and they swap out the old for the newer versions of their devices not because they are worn out or don’t work but because they seek the capability of the newer one. The best aspects that can be realized from this new generation is that the things they embrace are not dark as many claim but have value to transform the world. We must allow them to reshape as we guide them through the course of their lives. =Works Cited= Jukes, I. (2011, June). //21st Century Fluency Project//. Retrieved June 16, 2011, from Committed Sardine: http://committedsardine.com McCain, M. (n.d.). //Grown Up Digital - Book Praise//. Retrieved from How the Net Generation is Changing Your World: http://www.grownupdigital.com/archive/index.php/quotes/ Tapscott, D. (2008). //Grown Up Digital.// New York: McGraw-Hill.