A recent article by Blair Makin published in the Financial Post reinforces the importance of social networking and connectivity to Gen Yers in all aspects of life. According to the article, students at Ryerson University in Toronto got busted for running an online chemistry study group on Facebook. Yes, they were studying, asking questions about homework. We're talking about 140 students, all willingly trying to figure out chemistry.
According to the article:
Academic integrity was at stake, [the administration] said, and any threat to it -- even in the form of online tools -- is a risk that must be addressed and rightfully preserved.
At the Digital Youth forum mentioned in yesterday's post, a question came up about education and how we can engage digital youth in learning through social media. Educators, take note: these kids were doing exactly what forum members hoped for. They were using their digital know-how to exchange information, build a solid knowledge base, and help other students as well. These university students used their noggins to solve problems with information and ideas exchange. Isn't that what we want?
I doubt Facebook will be in the university's exam room. But it will certainly be in the workplace for Gen Yers. They will know how to source information, collaborate on ideas, and build and disseminate knowledge quickly and efficiently. This generation's use of social networking tools fuels innovation and new thinking, rather than limiting their thoughts to outlines from textbooks.
If our education system is going to stay relevant, educators will need to embrace new social networking tools as knowledge builders, not threats. The world of information exchange is running at hyperspeed. That we would want to handicap our youth -- and our future -- by restricting access to data, ideas and collaborative exchange is inconceivable. Blair Makin states:
...It's not about giving up control, nor about compromising intellectual property or security. Rather, collaboration for Gen-Yers means enabling people to reach each other instantly and share information in the most suitable way. It overcomes the challenges of mobile workforces and eliminates geographic boundaries.
Connectivity is the new gold standard, especially for learning and innovation. Let's embrace it, across all generations.
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