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See also E-Learning: Early Education
For members of Generation Y, learning electronically has become an intrinsic characteristic of their lifestyle. Over the last twenty years, the amount of technology that has developed and grown from the humble television is astounding, and Generation Y has grown along side it. It is only natural then, that the way children learn from home and within the education system is also changing. This entry will detail how E-Learning has become embedded within youth culture, where E-Learning has been used successfully to influence youth culture and how this impacts on the type of education being received.
Generation Y are the children of Young Baby Boomers and older Generation X. This generation is characterised by their short attention span, their interest and proficiency in new media and technology, their penchant for popular culture and cynicism towards advertising. According to Don Tapscott, Generation Y, or the Net Generation is ‘curious, self-reliant, contrarian, smart, focused, able to adapt, high in self-esteem, and has a global orientation,’ (Tapscott, 2004: 1).On the whole, Generation Y are very opinionated when it comes to music, fashion and technology, however less so than their parents on political and social matters of concern. Due to working sometimes up to three or four part time jobs, they have more disposable income than other generations (Gloz, 2003: 2).
It is no wonder then that how Generation Y gathers, accepts and retains information has changed between the generations. The Net Generation are embracing interactive media such as the Internet, CDROMs and video games. According to Tapscott, this change stems from a fundamental preference for interactive media over broadcast media (Tapscott, 2004: 2) Broadcast media is intrinsically hierarchical; it depends on a top-down system where an unknown entity decides on what will be broadcast and when. In a broadcast media culture, the viewer has no power. As current youth culture is a culture of interaction, Generation Y derives power from interactive media like the Internet, because it depends on a shared delivery system rather than a heirarchical one (Tapscott, 2004: 2).
As such, E-Learning that bases tasks upon this interactivity has shown remarkable results within the youth sector. Children who were previously thought to have learning and attention disabilities flourish when provided with the right resources (Kharif, 2004: 80). In England and the United States, chronic truancy has been treated not with punishment, but with a separate learning program rich in content embedded within interactive media and edutainment (see E-Learning - Edutainment) (McGavin, 1997: 2).
In general, interactive E-Learning has a two tiered effect on youth culture. Firstly, it allows students to experience practical and visible results from their theoretical learning by using positive reinforcement like in edutainment media or having a practical outcome such as the use of robotics to demonstrate science and mathematical concepts. Secondly, it skills children in the fast paced world of technology, which is so necessary in every facet of life within today’s society (Gloz, 2003: 3).
Generation Y’s youth culture is intrinsically embedded within technological development. As such, interactive E-Learning techniques have been implemented throughout education facilities to engage students’ creativity and knowledge and to train minds in technology for future evolvement.
Gloz, V. (2003) ‘Generation Y,’ in Revolve [Online], vol. 3, no. 1. Available: http://www.yfc.org.au/resources/revolve_01.pdf [Accessed 23rd Oct. 2005].
Kharif, O. (2004) ‘My therapist is a joystick,’ in Business Week, no. 3887, pp 80 – 81.
McGavin, H. (1997) ‘Blunkett fears two tier cyberspace,’ in Times Educational Supplement, no. 4202, pp 2 – 4.
Tapscott, D. (2004) Growing up digital: the rise of the Net Generation [Online]. Available: http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/jan98/feat_6/digital.html [Accessed 27th Oct. 2005].
