Web 2.0, de net-generation en leren

Innovate besteedt in de meest recente editie veel aandacht aan de relatie tussen de net-generation, web 2.0 en de impact hiervan op leren. Is Education 1.0 Ready for Web 2.0 Students? geeft onder andere een aantal voorbeelden van docenten die social networking technologie gebruiken voor communicatie en informatieverstrekking. Andere social software wordt vaker ten behoeve van het leren gebruikt. Maar, zo stelt de auteur:

With such a diverse use of Web 2.0 applications at IHEs, the potential for such applications seems vast, but its reach is yet undetermined. Long-held learning beliefs and established educational methods must be reshaped in order to incorporate the benefits of Web 2.0.

Teaching and Learning with the Net Generation gaat eerst uitgebreid in op de kenmerken van de veronderstelde leerstijl van de net-generation en verkent vervolgens hoe het onderwijs daarmee om moet gaan.

Since young people will likely continue to be at the forefront of technological change, Net Geners will continue to have a lot to teach educators about evolving technology. Yet educators must not abdicate their role as authorities directing the learning experiences of their students. Our research observes the existence of a fine line: Educators should continue to find ways to exploit the skills students develop outside of class without accommodating the habits of instant gratification and shallow thinking. To be human is to learn, and we learn from good teachers. Russell Ackoff has often noted that the current education system does not teach students how to learn (Day 2007). Today’s digital and computer technologies allow us to remedy this by giving us the tools to teach Net Geners not just what to learn but how to learn.