This school year begins with a class of freshmen who has grown up with the Internet. Most all of these students are equipped with laptops, smartphones, and the latest of all gadgets, the iPad. In fact, some of these items are even replacing textbooks. However, the Internet is not the only difference between the two generations; sports and everyday terms have also changed from before the 1980s to the early 2000s. So, how exactly does the mindset of the Internet Generation differ from that of Generation X?
The greatest difference between today’s freshmen and their professors is the access to Internet. While some professors may still be adjusting to and learning about everything on the Internet, the class of 2015 has rarely gone a day without it. Everything is literally at the touch of a button or the swipe of a card. Bag phones have been replaced by smartphones. Nowadays, students can get a degree without ever stepping foot into a classroom thanks to online classes. Handwritten letters have been replaced by email. While this new generation considers the Internet second nature, the mindset of the Generation X is quite a bit different. Blackboard isn’t simply a message board that hangs on the wall, and typewriters have been traded for personal computers where fixing mistakes are just a backspace away.
However, the Internet is by no means the only difference between the two generations. What about the days when college coaches didn’t make millions of dollars? Or when students actually cared about their education? Has anyone ever really considered how great of a change these things are? The faculty can probably remember the days when the news’ headlines weren’t about which professional sports player used performance enhancement drugs, something Generation Z can’t say. There was also a day when stadiums didn’t have skyboxes and tailgating was not a way to celebrate for the upcoming game, but instead a term for following a vehicle too closely.
Aside from sports, Generation X can probably also remember days when water didn’t come in plastic bottles, “C” was an average – also referred to as satisfactory - grade, and Facebook meant looking at an actual book. Now, what would we do without water bottles to carry around and Facebook to keep up with family and friends who live far away? The letter grade “C” is no longer satisfactory because Generation Z is about going above and beyond.
So much has changed over the years; the Internet Generation can’t recall a year when Martin Luther King Jr. Day wasn’t a holiday, much less remember when parents didn’t stress about the viruses birds and mosquitos carry. There is a t-shirt for almost every occasion. Faux trees are used far greater than real trees at Christmas time. What exactly is a dial? There are more channels on TV than letters in the alphabet. Women have babies at all ages, and who is Michael Jordan? Playing the Wii is considered exercise. All grown-ups argue about is the health-care policy. Most everyone communicates via text message.
Above is only a small portion of the differences between Generation X and Z. There are so many more differences in the two generations than similarities. Nevertheless, just as it replaced Generation X, the Internet Generation is likely to be replaced by another generation with even greater knowledge and technology. As Bruce Krajewski stated in his article, The 2011 Mind-Set of Faculty (Born Before 1980), the “you” – Generation Z – that is you will eventually become the “they” – Generation X – that is us.
The greatest difference between today’s freshmen and their professors is the access to Internet. While some professors may still be adjusting to and learning about everything on the Internet, the class of 2015 has rarely gone a day without it. Everything is literally at the touch of a button or the swipe of a card. Bag phones have been replaced by smartphones. Nowadays, students can get a degree without ever stepping foot into a classroom thanks to online classes. Handwritten letters have been replaced by email. While this new generation considers the Internet second nature, the mindset of the Generation X is quite a bit different. Blackboard isn’t simply a message board that hangs on the wall, and typewriters have been traded for personal computers where fixing mistakes are just a backspace away.
However, the Internet is by no means the only difference between the two generations. What about the days when college coaches didn’t make millions of dollars? Or when students actually cared about their education? Has anyone ever really considered how great of a change these things are? The faculty can probably remember the days when the news’ headlines weren’t about which professional sports player used performance enhancement drugs, something Generation Z can’t say. There was also a day when stadiums didn’t have skyboxes and tailgating was not a way to celebrate for the upcoming game, but instead a term for following a vehicle too closely.
Aside from sports, Generation X can probably also remember days when water didn’t come in plastic bottles, “C” was an average – also referred to as satisfactory - grade, and Facebook meant looking at an actual book. Now, what would we do without water bottles to carry around and Facebook to keep up with family and friends who live far away? The letter grade “C” is no longer satisfactory because Generation Z is about going above and beyond.
So much has changed over the years; the Internet Generation can’t recall a year when Martin Luther King Jr. Day wasn’t a holiday, much less remember when parents didn’t stress about the viruses birds and mosquitos carry. There is a t-shirt for almost every occasion. Faux trees are used far greater than real trees at Christmas time. What exactly is a dial? There are more channels on TV than letters in the alphabet. Women have babies at all ages, and who is Michael Jordan? Playing the Wii is considered exercise. All grown-ups argue about is the health-care policy. Most everyone communicates via text message.
Above is only a small portion of the differences between Generation X and Z. There are so many more differences in the two generations than similarities. Nevertheless, just as it replaced Generation X, the Internet Generation is likely to be replaced by another generation with even greater knowledge and technology. As Bruce Krajewski stated in his article, The 2011 Mind-Set of Faculty (Born Before 1980), the “you” – Generation Z – that is you will eventually become the “they” – Generation X – that is us.
No comments:
Post a Comment