The Information-Age Mindset

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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!)
  3. Reality isn’t real
    A picture is no longer proof. Reality is sometimes virtual. Everything can be manipulated.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Typing rather than handwriting
    My hand hurts these days when I have to write anything of any length at all.
  7. Staying connected
    People expect to be connected all the time, everywhere.
  8. Zero tolerance for delay
    If I can can info on the net immediately, why should I have to wait for anything?
  9. 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]