Here I review a
PowerPoint presentation by the Pew Internet Research Center. This presentation
focused on the future of teenagers who use the Internet regularly for learning as well as their interactions with their local library. Below I
highlighted some of the most important points of the presentation. There are
quite a few questions posed in this presentation that do not have a clear
answer yet. I leave it to you to make your own judgments. Although I will
provide my opinions as well. Enjoy.
The report begins by emphasizing that teachers view
the Internet as equally helpful and detrimental to students’ research. While many
teachers reported that the Internet offered students access to information at a
faster rate (preferable by teens), teens often do not know how to deal with the
mass amounts of information available to them.
With the wide
variety of information available to teens through the Internet, they can find a
large amount of electronic resources. That being said, overuse of the Internet
when researching can lead students to use only electronic resources and ignore
print or other valuable sources.
Nearly all teens
access the Internet, and about 1/3 of them have a broadband connection. Teens
access the Internet through desktop computers, laptops, tablets, cell phones,
and gaming devices.
Moreover, teens use the
library and read almost as often as adults do, however, they do not feel a
sense of loyalty or commitment to the library itself. Many teens reported that
the closing of the local library would have little to no impact on their lives. However, teens that do
use library services prefer services that include some form of technology.
The study goes on to argue that 16 years or so in the future, teenagers will have developed
a strong ability to multitask. Because of the Internet, today’s teenagers will
be able to move from task to task while remaining efficient in the future - ultimately
benefiting from their use of the Internet. On the other hand, the study also suggests teens could
become overwhelmed by information on the Internet, and use the resource as only
a means of entertainment and distraction. Opinions on which outcome will occur
in greater numbers is still being debated.
While teachers
and researchers cannot confirm the future of today’s Internet savvy teens, they
do agree that Internet searching skills must be a part of the curriculum taught
in schools. Likewise, most agree that local schools should provide some form of
technology literacy training to prepare students.
Personal
thoughts
In my opinion,
today’s teens are in danger of becoming hyper focused on the Internet, and
maybe not for the right reasons. In my experience, most teenagers use the
Internet as a means of entertainment. It is arguable that economic background
and race/ethnicity change the outcome, but overall, I think teens are gaining a
valuable resource in the Internet, at the expense of under developing other important
skills. Yet, if teens do not utilize the Internet for the right purposes, they
will end up losing at both ends.
41 pages
Rainie,
L. (2014, April 9). Teens and Libraries in Today's Digital World. Pew
Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS. Retrieved June 25,
2014, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/09/millennials-and-libraries/
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