Week 8 - Article 1 Abstract and Disagreement

Abstract

This article suggests that young people today are not only changing the way they learn via new medias, but changing their whole way of life and way of communication through it.

Digital natives look at communication differently to how their elders would. For example, for a long message they would instantly think email whereas adults may think letter, as in pen and paper.

In cases where both natives and immigrants would use telephones, natives might go straight for the text message option on their mobiles, whereas immigrants may go for the landline and call another landline.

It takes into account the fact that all this digital communication has altered youth's ability to spell and communicate in full sentences, due to 'text language' and abbreviations, which speed up the process.

The article compares hobbies of the past (such as stamp collecting) to modern hobbies embarked on by today's youth such as downloading songs and films.

It recognises the multiple possibilites of multi tasking online, for example downloading numerous things at one time, having several website windows open and carrying on several instant message conversations at the same time.

It notes that even the term 'online' has become 'old' as we now have wireless.


Disagreement

I think this article is up to date in terms of all the technologies spoken of. As a digital native I can relate to pretty much everything said and agree with it. For example, the multi tasking bit, I know I personally always do that, I always have abotu 3 internet windows open with 2 or 3 tabs in each, plus maybe a media player, some music files, and usually at least 3 MSN Messenger conversation windows.
As for the pen and paper remark, I don't know when the last time I wrote a letter was, except for writing thank you letters at birthdays or Christmas to older relatives.
I thought the 'online' remark was interesting, as now there is no 'line' (cable, phone line) needed to be connected to our computers due to wireless boxes.