I found this site from the Institute for Interactive Technologies and as I read the post, I realized that my focus on this blog has an amazing impact on how programming should be taught.
I've copied the first few paragraphs from the abstract. It's a wealth of information and I'll probably be visiting this again:
"It is almost impossible to underestimate the knowledge gap that will be caused by the retirement of the baby boomer generation. Scientists, CEOs, nuclear technicians, doctors, lawyers, sales managers, senior trainers and other highly skilled individuals are not walking out the door… they are running. "
"In the next five years, approximately 40 percent of the skilled labor force will be eligible to retire. In the next 10 years the entire boomer generation will be over 50."
"Simultaneously, a new generation of employees…dubbed “gamers” are entering the workforce with a different focus, mentality and learning style than any previous generation. A mentality forged by playing video games, using handheld gadgets and surfing the Internet. "
"There needs to be an unprecedented transfer of knowledge, information and data from one generation to another and traditional knowledge transfer methods will not work. The traditional methods are outdated, take too long and are not keyed into the gamer ethos. "
"An ethos centered on games, gizmos and gadgets as well as a technology comfort level possessed by no other generation. This is the first generation to grow up entirely in the video-game age. They are truly digital natives."
Wow - it's coming quickly. Does this speak volumes to you as well? I think this transcends all levels of study - especially technology.
http://www.e-learningguru.com/wpapers/vendor/Kapp_GGG.pdf
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Yes, Debbie, those paragraphs do speak volumes to me! Kinda scary stuff... My friend who works at NASA told me that they (the oldtimers) got sat down and lectured to by Human Resources this summer about the new interns. They were told in no uncertain terms that the new interns had a new style of learning and the oldtimers had to be aware of this and learn to communicate with the new generation.
ReplyDeleteThat's something you said that really is fascinating -- "There needs to be an unprecedented transfer of knowledge, information and data from one generation to another and...[t]he traditional methods are outdated, take too long and are not keyed into the gamer ethos."
Something for all of us to think about! Thanks, Debbie, for this thoughtful post.