6. as a result of this
ubiquitous environment
and the volume of their
interaction with it,
today’s students
think and process
information
fundamentally differently
from their predecessors
FIRST SAMPLE: PRENSKY (2001)
It is now clear that,
6
7. SAMPLE:
BAUERLEIN (2008)
Digital natives,
go to the Internet
not to store knowledge in their
minds,
but to retrieve material and pass
it along.
SECOND
hyper-networked kids
who can track each other’
every move with ease,
but are largely ignorant
of history, economics, culture,
and other subjects
7
9. THIRD SAMPLE: SCHULMEISTER (2008)
the expected media
competence
of young learners
solely consists
of being able
in locating information
in the net
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10. WHY? BECAUSE OF A GREAT RHETORIC
Rhetoric concerning «digital learners»
Implications
Expectations
Many “labels”
An hot debate
the key-question:
Is the fact of growing up in the digital era (AGE)
an explanatory variable
for the predisposition to adopt ICTs in education
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
10
14. Combining
quantitative
Online questionnaire,
562 respondents (university students of Ticino – CH)
Statistical treatment of data
and
qualitative
2 LEGO sessions e 3 MEDIA DIET DIARIES
14
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
15. HOW? METHODOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE
Because
of the great complexity
Seven hypotheses
Four open questions
15
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
16. MAIN RESULTS
Age variable does not explain ICTs predilection
in education
«Classical strategies» are preferred to
eLearning/digital learning
“Media Convergence”
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Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
17. QUESTION
“HOW MUCH ICTS IMPROVED…”
The fact of
being older...
...increases
of...
...the likelihood to consider that
ICTs improved significantly...
0.8%
“the way you practice your hobby or
interests”
0.5%
“the way you do your students’ tasks”
0.1%
“the way you learn”
3.9%
“the way you collaborate with your peer”
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Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
18. QUESTION :
“WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE STRATEGY TO LEARN?”
The fact of ...increases
being older...
of...
...the likelihood to be
more in favour of...
0.2%
“lectures in classroom”
0.6%
“printed
dictionary/encyclopaedia”
0.3%
“online platforms
(eLearning)”
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Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
19. QUESTION
“HOW MUCH DO YOU AGREE…?”
The fact of
being older...
...increases
of...
...the likelihood to answer that...
4.0%
“It would be good if there were more
eLearning in my courses”
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Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
21. Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
REPRESENTATION AND DEFINITION
OF “READING”
Reading means: having a book on the desk and a marker
in my hand, checking on the net what I do not know, using
the phone when a I need help, printing materials which
are useful for me.
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22. CONCLUSIONS
No predominance of technology in
education
Socio-demographic variables are not
unequivocal to explain ICTs
adoption in education
Labels can be catchy, but are not so
useful in education
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Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
23.
The importance of communication
in using media
The importance of search in using
media with learning-purposes
The importance of eLearning as a
context and as a strategy
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Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
27. LABELS
Boomer babies; Boomlets; Born digital; Digital kids;
Digital Natives; Digital residents; Echo Boom;
Gamers; Gen.com; Generation Next; Generation Tech;
Generation Why; Generation XX; Generation Y;
Generation 2000; Grasshopper Minds; Homo
Zappiens; Instant-Message Generation; Millennials;
Net generation; Net-agers; Next Great Generation;
Nintendo Generation; Prozac Generation; Screen
Generation; Coddled, adrift, and slackers; Dumbest
generation; Narcissist; Net addicted (to pointless
activities); Shameless; The ones who click (instead of
thinking); The ones who take Google as Gospel;
Violent; online bullies…
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
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28. 3 DIFFERENT VISIONS OF THE SAME TOPIC
The enthusiasts (about the impact of ICTs on learners` skills and
behaviours)are firmly convinced that digital technologies are making the
generation of younger learners a very skilled one. Within them is it possible to
identify three different approaches, depending to the observed area of ICTs’
effects on learners behaviours and attitudes:
The historic-sociological approach, moving from all the differences
between the current generation and the previous ones (e.g.: Howe &
Strauss, 2000);
The psycho-cognitive approach, claiming that the everyday usages of
ICTs changed the cognitive abilities of young people (e.g.: Prensky, 2001;
Small, 2008);
The socio-pedagogical approach, based on the paradox “everywhere
ICTs, except at schools” (Pedró, 2009), and asking for a reform/revolution
in school and university systems (e.g.: Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005; Junco &
Mastrodicasa 2008).
The concerned ones, almost reactionaries, accepting as well this idea of a
digitalized generation of learners, but concerned about the potentially
dangerous effects, such violence, dumbness, harassment, addiction, etc (e.g.
Bauerlein, 2008).
The critics, who question the idea of characterising the set of skills of the
young generation simply in function of ICTs’ usages, criticizing all the
unrequested generalizations, and calling for deeper studies and g-localized
analyses (e.g. Selwyn, 2010).
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
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32. WHY LODE?
The focus is on persons, so the first word refers to them.
The perspective is anthropological-pedagogical, so the
chosen word is about learning.
Not only young people learn though ICTs in the Knowledge
Society and relevant effects on digital learners can be
observed as wall on adults.
The lesson learned from “Digital natives” label is the
pervasion of digital technologies in everyday life has a
great impact on learning experiences but refuses to apply
the “digital” adjective to people and to imply generational
divides.
The lesson learned from “generation Y” e “NetGeneration”
label is the use of digital technologies (especially the
portable ones) changed dramatically our way of living, it is
something new in history – therefore, a new “era” –, but it
does not mean it is a matter of age.
32
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
33. DATI SUL CAMPIONE
AGE VARIABLE
MEAN: 24.5 years;
MEDIAN: 23 years;
MIN: 17, MAX:75.
The whole was divided into three “age groups”:
17 to 23 years (58.5% of the sample),
from 24 to 29 (28.1%)
30 and over (13.3%). This is primarily aiming to highlight any
possible differences between LoDE belonging to Gen Y – namely, born
after 1980 – and the others, who had in 2009, more than 30 years
33
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
34. 7 HYPOTHESES
Age variable
Country of origin
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
1. The presence of ICTs in LoDE experience is massive
2. ICTs’ usages are more related to leisure purposes than to
learning ones
3. ICTs’ adoption for learning goals is statistically relevant
for elementary learning behaviours
4. ICTs predilection in learning contexts is
explainable/predictable thanks to
Gender
Field of studies
5. LoDE request for more ICTs in formal learning
6. eLearning is the preferred way to learn
7. LoDE express a learning-style pattern digitally oriented
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35. 4 OPEN QUESTIONS
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
1. Which is the perception LoDE have of their media
diet, and how does it influence learning behaviours?
2. Which is the relevance of digital experiences for
learning?
3. Is it observable a skill transfer from informal contexts
of learning to formal ones?
4. Are LoDE bearers of a peculiar technological potential
useful for learning purposes?
35
36. ICTs
in
LoDE
Verified.
2. ICTs’ usages are more related to leisure
Only partially verified.
purposes than to learning ones
4. ICTs predilection in learning contexts is
Falsified.
explainable/predictable thanks to
a.
Age variable
b.
Country of origin
c.
Gender
d.
Field of studies
The influence of socio-demographics
is almost negligible: too little or not
existing.
5. LoDE request for more ICTs in formal The
assumption
behind
learning
hypothesis is not confirmed.
6.
eLearning is the preferred way to learn
Not verified.
7. LoDE express a learning-style pattern
Falsified.
digitally oriented
the
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
3. ICTs’ adoption for learning goals is Abandoned – lack of diriment results
3B
statistically relevant only for elementary
learning behaviours
3B. eLearning appreciation is explainable A little statistical relation was
registered, butin a such little
thanks to advanced practices with ICTs.
dimension to be not relevant
DETAILED RESULTS (1):
1. The presence of
experience is massive
Results
VERIFICATION/FALSIFICATION OF HYPOTHESES
Hypotheses
36
37. LoDE seem to be still in approaching phase to
1. Which is the perception
a learning behaviour digitally-oriented. On
LoDE have of their media diet, and
one side they are great adopter of ICTs, but on
how does it influence learning
the other they are not very aware of the
behaviours?
permeation of media in their lives.
No. Or, at least, not yet.
3. Is it observable a skill But it is true that we can observe premises
transfer from informal contexts of allowing this skill transfer to develop. Indeed,
as per today, ICTs seem to play an
learning to formal ones?
“alongside” role – rather than a “bridge” one –
between activities of leisure and learning.
Not really.
4. Are LoDE bearer of
peculiar technological potential?
Emanuele Rapetti - NewMinELab
We could synthesize with the expression: a lot
of expectations and some concerns. LoDE do
2. Which is the relevance of
a sage/reasoned usage of ICTs in learning.
digital experiences for learning?
Mainly they stress communication and
information gathering.
DETAILED RESULTS (2):
Answers
ANSWERS TO OPEN QUESTIONS
Open questions
a They are manifestly familiar but no
substantial revolutions in learning styles are
observable.
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