Anthony Talbert Jr. Prof.

Anthony Borerro English 1102 Feb, 21st 2013

This essay isnt meant to influence, argue, or prove anything. Its simply an inquiry, an exploration into a phenomenon like none other. The progression and growth of the so called Generation Y and how the generation that Im growing up in is coming to be known as the Digital Age. It all stems from the question, How will technology define a generation? Arguably, technology can define every generation, because every generation has its great inventions and technological advances. Yet, somehow this era in humanity has become distinctly known for its obsession with and exaltation of new technologies. For this inquiry I studied various different sources that chronicle the world of arising problems and solutions orbiting around the guiding light of modern day technology. Actually, the question, how will technology define a generation? wasnt the genesis of this inquiry. It was inspired by the first source that I studied. A 2008 documentary by Frontline titled, Growing up online. It begins with a statement, They are the first generation to come of age on the internet. speaking of the generation that I was born into. It goes on to delve into the lives of denizens of this digital world as well as their parents lives, feelings, and thoughts on this new phenomenon exclusive to our human race, yet changing the entire world. Chapter 1 of Growing up online is entitled, Living their lives essentially online and introduces the teenagers and parents that are interviewed for the documentary. While exploring social networking sites and the excessive time spent on the internet it also presents the idea that

not only is the internet becoming a massive use of this generations time, its also something that is essentially invisible and can be completely kept out of their parents knowledge. It speaks about a 14 year old girl named Jessica Hunter who created an alter ego, so to speak, by the name of Autumn Edows on the website Myspace. She went on to post provocative, but not nude, pictures and hid her true age. Soon gaining a cult following and leading to her parents finding out and forcing her to delete the page. In sight of this it explores further into internet safety and the possibility of predators finding victims through internet usage. Throughout different interviews and commentary from experts, parents, and students alike. Frontline concludes that internet safety isnt as bad as one might assume, most teens and even younger kids have the ability to spot a red flag and avoid trouble. It also explores another danger of the internet, cyber-bullying. Frontline interviews John Halligan, a New Jersey resident whose 13-year-old son Ryan committed suicide after extensive cyber-bullying and encouragement to kill himself from another boy his age who was considering doing the same thing. Cyber-bullying poses several new problems that previous generations wouldnt have had to deal with. One being the fact that, thirty years ago if you were bullied in school then it ended in school. With the social connectivity of the internet kids can be tormented at school all day, then go home to see more comments. In many cases these comments are even worse and more numerous than what they would receive in school because of the deindividuation that is caused by the separation of computer screens. Similar to the studies that have been done showing that when, in large groups or wearing a mask, people feel less responsible for their actions. Teenagers interviewed in the documentary admitted that they feel more free to commit harmful behavior because no ones watching, and it isnt face to face.

While the dangers of the internet are very much real, there are also benefits and this documentary doesnt hesitate to explore them as well. In a chapter called, A revolution in classrooms and social life. interviews with teachers at Chatham high school in New Jersey show that while some teachers arent technologically equipped others embrace the idea of using new technologies to teach. This brings me to the next source, the follow up documentary of Growing up online, digital_nation. This documentary, released two years after its predecessor, goes even deeper into problems and possibilities of a world that can live its entire life on the internet. It begins much like the previous documentary, although this time around rather than following high school students it follows college students. Intelligent, ambitious, and young, the future of our nation, yet they cant seem to focus on anything for more than an hour at a time. It follows the wired students and their claims at being experts at multitasking, yet when tested in a lab environment its revealed that when you multitask at many things, it actually makes you a lot worse at each thing youre doing. It also notes the failing attention span of my generation, which ironically enough I had quite a bit of trouble with while doing this project. From constantly texting and checking emails in class, to using Facebook during lectures, to the ideas of Mark Bauerlein, writer of the book, The Dumbest Generation, it contemplates the idea that Generation Y has a problem with focus and long-term attention. The research on teaching isnt all dark though, it explores the idea that possibly it is time to change the way that we teach and learn. After a mention from Mark Bauerlein that his colleagues no longer assign books with more than 200 pages, due to the seemingly reduced ability or willingness to read among this generation, another scholar by the name of Marc Prensky makes a statement of his own.

The reason a lot of people are stuck, I think, is that they confuse the old ways, the best ways of doing something once with the best ways of doing those things forever. So its not that kids shouldnt learn to communicate, its not that they shouldnt learn to express complex ideas. Of course they should still learn all those things, those are what we call the verbs. The nouns that they use, whether its the essay, or the paper, or whatever it is. Or whether its the video or the podcast. Thats what changes. The learning may stay the same but we invent new ways of teaching. And I dont know that the book which was for a long period of time, but not that long, maybe a couple of centuries is the best way in the 21st century. Prensky isnt alone in his enthusiasm and willingness to accept the changes being pushed along with the progression of technology. It revisits Chatham high school, the New Jersey school that was included in the first documentary and states the idea that it might be time to start using technology to teach very young kids. Its extremely probable that theyll be using the most modern technology for the rest of their lives, especially for any careers they may choose after school. Jason Levy, principal for a middle school in the South Bronx, NYC is one of these enthusiasts. Issues dealing with violence, gang activity, and only 9% of students meeting the state math testing standards caused a string of different principals to come and leave this middle school, but Jason Levy turned it around in a way that was somewhat abstract, but could possibly become the standard in years to come. In discarding many old ways of teaching and supplying laptops to every student then having teachers teach using Google applications, internet programs

and blogging sites, as well as emailing students their homework, he was able to increase test scores and greatly cut down on violence. Further than just the academic advances and hiccups of this generation, digital_nation takes a look at the social innovations of new technology. In a chapter simply titled relationships, it looks at the reach the internet gives people. The idea that with this new tool you can reach millions of people who you would have otherwise never known existed. Members of the World of Warcraft community are a great example of this. The researchers conducting the documentary go to a World of Warcraft workshop and speak with different players, coming to the realization that for some reason, friends who are meeting and getting to know each other over the internet and then at a later point meeting in person, seem to have a stronger relationship and greater endearment than the average friendship. There are even people who eventually go on to be married, with one-third of female gamers developing some type of romantic relationship through the game, and one participant stating that even though her and her husband had an actual, live first date, shell always consider their real first date the time he broke into a virtual castle to meet her. Not only is the gaming community taking advantage of these new possibilities for social connection but so are many workplaces. Douglas Rushkoff, the main interviewer and researcher for the documentary, takes a walk through an empty IBM building. It isnt empty because of a lack of workers, but because most of the worker are working from somewhere else, using their laptops, and even meeting in virtual conference rooms to conduct business. With these social advances, one has to wonder exactly where it could all go from here. Endless possibilities, but of course, with progression there are always problems that arise.

One note that was made about the U.S.s MMORPG society was that there seemed to be a great drive for social interaction as an incentive to play these games, more so than some of the gamers in South Korea. Over the past decade video game addiction has become a serious problem in South Korea, with the country becoming the first to classify internet addiction as a psychological illness. First brought to my attention by this documentary, and then further explored through other sources, the South Korean government has begun implementing new laws restricting video game usage, and requiring certain games to come with parental controls, allowing parents to restrict their childrens gaming time. digital_nation follows Chung YungIl, a fifteen year old boy who is addicted to video games and the internet as he goes to an internet addiction camp meant to help children and teenagers with their technology addictions. While this is alarming, further inquiry into Koreas internet problem showed much greater issues. With various deaths due to gaming, from a fifteen year-year-old boy who murdered his mother then killed himself after arguing about his addiction, to parents who let their child starve to death while raising a virtual baby. Knowledge of events like this definitely justify how so many parents can be skeptical about accepting new technologies so embracingly. Yet, if there is anything that is clear its that these new technologies are here, and theyre here to stay. As I stated earlier, technology is like a guiding light, and there is a world full of problems and solutions that revolve around it. This isnt something meant to influence your thoughts or feelings about these technologies. Just a look into how amazing, powerful, and influential they can be. I was led through multiple different sources, all stemming from my professors suggestion that I watch one documentary released almost five years ago, yet still relevant today. And even after this project, Ill continue to hear and learn more about it. So, rather than attempting to answer the question, Ill just ask it again and life will

unfold the answer. That answer may be positive, empowering and great, showing amazing feats and human life changing for the better. It can also show negative destruction, pain and even death. Chances are it will include both. So, again I ask, How will technology define a generation?