Lee Rainie spoke about younger people… here’s what he had to say:
Younger users: they made a recent TIme Magazine cover – “Are Kids too Wired for their Own Good?”
8 Realities of Millenials:
- Distinct age cohort: they are not like gen x or baby boomers. They will be a larger generation than the baby boomer generation, and will be more ethnically diverse. They are the generation of No CHild Left Behind, play days, metal detectors at schools, filters, and bike helmets.They are team-oriented and conventional. They are very tech-embracing.
- Immersed in the reality of gadgets. They favor the gadget of the moment – if they have a cell phone with them, then that’s the gadget they want information to be delivered on. If they’re at home, then their computer works just fine. If they want to immerse themselves in a subject, then books are great.
- Mobile. Lee talked alot about smart mobs, texting, and cell phone use. Media – tivo and ipods. schedules are no longer being formed around a media event (like for a TV show).
- Internet plays a special role in their world. 33% of online teens share their creations online! 22% have their own webpage, 19% have a blog. 19% remix content into their own creations.
- Multi-taskers. continuous partial attention. Librarians are “information support” – only useful when needed.
- Unaware of consequences related to technology. The whole download/copyright/personal privacy thing. [me here - no duh! they're still kids. I think this will change as this generation matures]
- Their tech world will change radically in the next decade. [me here: listen up - ours will, too!]. We’re in the middle of a J cuve (which is much steeper than an S curve). Computing power doubles every 18 months; communication power doubles every 9 months; storage doubles every 12 months. RFID stuff, the Long Tail.
- The way they approach learning and research will be shaped by their new tech world.
Lee siad the new world is “complcated, scary, and exciting.”
