Generation gap has always been present – younger generations have always have different interests, ideas, wishes than older ones. This hasn’t changed to date – maybe is the gap getting even bigger and harder to overcome. Reading an article Virtual Reality Can Improve Design Skills in Younger Generation highlights one aspect of this gap. New media and technology are normal and common part of younger generations’ everyday. They use computers, social media, phones, etc. everyday – to communicate, to gather information, to study and for several other reasons. These technologies also play a vital role in student lives. Even elementary school kids probably can’t imagine their lives and school work without computer and all the tools it offers. The need for computers and all other technological tools is getting even more important in high schools and college.
New media with their wide range of tools and features offer great educational platform. Many students and some professors have already discovered the value of engaging them for the educational purposes. Nevertheless, many professors and also several students are still not aware of the existence of many different digital tools let alone using them. Many professors don’t really use e-mail (even though many, if not even all of them, have one), have no experience with different collaborative tools, social media etc. Most of the students, on the other hand, use these media on daily basis. Generation gap is here more than obvious. It’s unfortunate that unfamiliarity with new media and technologies precludes their efficient usage for educational purposes. I’m not saying that new media should become main educational tool but I still think they could be usefully incorporated into the existing educational practices. By incorporating new media into their teaching methods, professors could more easily reach students and thus maybe better present them study material and give them additional motivation for studying. And students could effectively use them to facilitate their study.
If we stay open for changes we can make the best out of them. Similarly we can get the best out of new media if we keep exploring them and not fearing and refusing them. Also generation gap can be enriching – older generations with their experiences, knowledge and wisdom together with younger generations with new ideas, energy and enthusiasm can result in positive outcomes for everybody and in generation synergy. And so can usage of new media for educational purposes.
