Informaton Technology - Bringing Cultural Change
By Jan Mayrhofer onCultures change from generation to generation. The up and coming generation always brings change, even though sometimes the older one doesn't quite "get it".
In this age of technology, our young people have embraced many forms of communicating that were barely dreamed of when some of us were their age. Their willingness to utilize social networks has helped to establish a worldwide network that is phenomenal! My own children convinced me to join one of the networks, and now I don't want to miss a day of checking in to keep up with friends and family. Certainly, the contacts are abridged, but it still beats no contact at all. I feel so much more connected to my personal network than ever before. This has been a societal change that I, for one, consider to be a very positive one. It makes the world seem much smaller and borders less meaningful.
Another interesting fad-turned-everyday need, is first, the cell phone, and now, the text message. It is interesting to see how the kids network constantly through texting. Honestly, I've never seen anyone text as fast as my nineteen year old daughter does. It makes me feel quite clumsy, but for her, it's quicker than dialing a number, waiting for the phone to connect, and then wait for an answer, and THEN have her conversation. Texting is direct, to the point, and convenient.
The ability to assimilate information in audio form has become commonplace over the last several years as well. Listening to books, both fiction and nonfiction, is something we can do now even when our hands are busy. Whether driving or doing dishes, it is possible to learn new things or just "read" your favorite new novel while still getting your work done.
Put the ability to listen to info together with our computer information at hand, and we are now "plugged in" to anything and everything we want to learn about whenever the notion strikes us.
These changes are global and who knows how long before we know just how far reaching and culture-changing they will be.
Teens and twenty-somethings seem to have the texting thing down pat. I can't text because I am so used to typing with a keyboard and I don't have the patience to text message. Technology has certainly opened up new avenues of learning for our children and I wish I had these resources when I was a kid.