A colleaugue forwarded me a PDF of the Information-Age Mindset, by Jason Frand. It’s a couple of years old now, but still very relevant.
Frand’s key points:
- Computers aren’t technology anymore
Technology is only what’s been invented since you were a kid (Alan Kay). For most young people, that means computers aren’t technology … they’re part of the furniture. - Internet is better than TV
TV-viewing is down, slightly, for the first time in decades. Why? The internet. (The way I think of this myself is: which could I do without? The answer is not TV!) - Reality isn’t real
A picture is no longer proof. Reality is sometimes virtual. Everything can be manipulated. - What you do, not what you know
Now, we’re always learning. So the ability to learn is much more important than a static body of acquired knowledge. - Nintendo over logic
Young people just try stuff (like new software). People without an information-age mindset try to read the manual before jumping in. - Typing rather than handwriting
My hand hurts these days when I have to write anything of any length at all. - Staying connected
People expect to be connected all the time, everywhere. - Zero tolerance for delay
If I can can info on the net immediately, why should I have to wait for anything? - Consumer/creator blurring
Frand caught this trend early … now with “web 2.0” it’s obvious to everyone who’s looking.
[tags] information, technology, mindset, kids [/tags]