Conforming to nonconformity

"Nonconformists are significantly heavier users of social networking sites than other students, participating in every single type of social networking activity surveyed (28 in all) significantly more frequently than other students both at home and at school -- which likely means that they break school rules to do so. ...

These students seem to have an extraordinary set of traditional and 21st century skills, including communication, creativity, collaboration and leadership skills and technology proficiency. Yet they are significantly more likely than other students to have lower grades, which they report as 'a mix of Bs and Cs,' or lower, than other students. However, previous research with both parents and children has shown that enhanced Internet access is associated with improvements in grades and school attitudes, including a 2003 survey by Grunwald Associates LLC. In any event, these findings suggest that schools need to find ways to engage nonconformists in more creative activities for academic learning." -- From a new report by the National School Boards Association <http://files.nsba.org/creatingandconnecting.pdf> as reported on “Good Morning Silicon Valley” for 8/08/07. Thanks to Nancy Walton at the Minnesota Department of Education for passing this one along. 

 
Creating and Connecting, the report from which the above was taken, has been riding around in my computer case for a week or more. The interesting quote above got me to finally read it. I'd suggest you do the same. And share it with your administration.

One of the things about the report that caught my eyes is the disconnect between how schools (or school officials anyway) perceive the value of social networking  vs. how parents view it. While 80+% of schools prohibit chat and IM; 60+% prohibit bulletin boards, blogs and e-mail; and over 50% "specifically prohibit any use of social networking sites;" (p 4) 76% of parents "expect social networking to help their children improve their reading and writing skills or express themselves more clearly." (p. 7)

Should those of us who are excited about using social networking tools to improve education be looking for allies among our parents?

Oh, and are the adults who are social networks more nonconformist and more likely to break rules than their peers?

Generation Next

As I was coming back from lunch yesterday, I heard part of a discussion on NPR about the political habits of young adults and caught that one of the guests was from the Pew organization - the source of many excellent studies of the views and habits of our current crop o' kids. So I did a bit of digging and found this recent Pew report from January 9, 2007, How Young People View Their Lives, Futures and Politics: A PORTRAIT OF “GENERATION NEXT” (Generation Next includes those Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 years old.)

From the "overview. The bold is mine.

• They (Generation Next) use technology and the internet to connect with people in new and distinctive ways. Text messaging, instant messaging and email keep them in constant contact with friends. About half say they sent or received a text message over the phone in the past day, approximately double the proportion of those ages 26-40.
• They are the “Look at Me” generation. Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and MyYearbook allow individuals to post a personal profile complete with photos and descriptions of interests and hobbies. A majority of Gen Nexters have used one of these social networking sites, and more than four-in-ten have created a personal profile.
• Their embrace of new technology has made them uniquely aware of its advantages and disadvantages. They are more likely than older adults to say these cyber-tools make it easier for them to make new friends and help them to stay close to old friends and family. But more than eight-in-ten also acknowledge that these tools “make people lazier.”
• About half of Gen Nexters say the growing number of immigrants to the U.S. strengthens the country – more than any generation. And they also lead the way in their support for gay marriage and acceptance of interracial dating.
• Beyond these social issues, their views defy easy categorization. For example, Generation Next is less critical of government regulation of business but also less critical of business itself. And they are the most likely of any generation to support privatization of the Social Security system.
• They maintain close contact with parents and family. Roughly eight-in-ten say they talked to their parents in the past day. Nearly three-in-four see their parents at least once a week, and half say they see their parents daily. One reason: money. About three-quarters of Gen Nexters say their parents have helped them financially in the past year.
• Their parents may not always be pleased by what they see on those visits home: About half of Gen Nexters say they have either gotten a tattoo, dyed their hair an untraditional color, or had a body piercing in a place other than their ear lobe. The most popular are tattoos, which decorate the bodies of more than a third of these young adults.
• One-in-five members of Generation Next say they have no religious affiliation or are atheist or agnostic, nearly double the proportion of young people who said that in the late 1980s. And just 4% of Gen Nexters say people in their generation view becoming more spiritual as their most important goal in life.
• They are somewhat more interested in keeping up with politics and national affairs than were young people a generation ago. Still, only a third say they follow what’s going on in government and public affairs “most of the time.”
• In Pew surveys in 2006, nearly half of young people (48%) identified more with the Democratic Party, while just 35% affiliated more with the GOP. This makes Generation Next the least Republican generation.
• Voter turnout among young people increased significantly between 2000 and 2004, interrupting a decades-long decline in turnout among the young. Nonetheless, most members of Generation Next feel removed from the political process. Only about four-in-ten agree with the statement: “It’s my duty as a citizen to always vote.”
• They are significantly less cynical about government and political leaders than are other Americans or the previous generation of young people. A majority of Americans agree with the statement: “When something is run by the government, it is usually inefficient and wasteful,” but most Generation Nexters reject this idea.
• Their heroes are close and familiar. When asked to name someone they admire, they are twice as likely as older Americans to name a family member, teacher, or mentor. Moreover, roughly twice as many young people say they most admire an entertainer rather than a political leader.
• They are more comfortable with globalization and new ways of doing work. They are the most likely of any age group to say that automation, the outsourcing of jobs, and the growing number of immigrants have helped and not hurt American workers.
• Asked about the life goals of those in their age group, most Gen Nexters say their generation’s top goals are fortune and fame. Roughly eight-in-ten say people in their generation think getting rich is either the most important, or second most important, goal in their lives. About half say that becoming famous also is valued highly by fellow Gen
  Nexters.

I miss my "Gen Next-er" son who is off at college. While he doesn't yet sport a tatoo of which I am aware, he does stay in contact - especially as the report says - when finances are part of the conversation.

I like this group coming up. They give me hope for the future.

You sound like a broken record and other archaic expressions

I was reminded of a recent posting of Stephen Abram's when grandson Paul grew frustrated trying to fast-forward over the commercials on our hotel's TV last weekend. At his home, of course, there is a DVR that gives the appearance that broadcast or cable TV can be replayed, paused, and fast-forwarded much like a DVD. Paul is growing up not knowing synchronous broadcasting. He may well never know having to fight with his little brother over what TV show to watch, only when.

Abram's post does a good job of listing a few things that don't have any literal meaning for kids anymore:

• a card catalog (or book pockets or date stamps)
  
• dialing a phone (or memorizing phone numbers)
  
• loading a camera (or "let's see what develops")
  

When asked what the sound of a needle being pushed across the grooves of a (vinyl) record was, kids don't know - only that it indicates an abrupt transition. To my generation, it usually signaled shelling out $7 or so for a replacement of the album.

The literal meaning of expressions is fading.

• You sound like a broken record. (Did "in the groove" come from vinyl records?)
  
• Get a snapshot of that. (As opposed to what other kind of shot?)
  
• Every pot has a lid. (Were those the cooking devices we used before microwaves?)
• Off the map. (With a GPS?)

Of course many expressions have already gone the way of all good things. "Throwing the baby out with the bath water" actually was a concern in the days when the whole family shared a common filling of the tub, with the smallest members of the family using the water last. How primitive - almost as archaic as a dial-up Internet connection.

And your "dated" expressions?