13 Things to Know About Teens and Technology (Pew Article)

Rainie, L. (2014, July 23). 13 Things to know about teens and technology. Retrieved November 26, 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/search/13 Things to Know About Teens and Technology/

There is no question that technology is changing the way we do things. A long time ago finding answers to our questions would require us to look for the answer in a textbook or we had to go to the public library and get books that would help us find the answers that we needed. Today finding answers to our questions takes mere seconds with the help of the Internet. Teens have definitely embraced the Internet and all its wonders. This article focuses on the different ways digital tools have changed the way teens communicate and gather information.

According to the author Rainie, information has become a “third skin” for teenagers. This in my opinion means that teenagers have developed an extra layer in their personalities when it comes to seeking information especially on the Internet. Seeking information on the Internet for teens has become second nature. Teens no longer have to run to the local library like we used to in order to find answers. All they simply have to do is find Internet access either on a laptop, tablet, or cell phone and they can begin searching for what they are looking for.

Rainie also stated that the future of learning for teens is constantly evolving from what it used to be. A piece of information that really caught my attention was that learning used to be seen as a transaction in which teens would receive knowledge, but today learning is seen as a process in which learners create knowledge. This is so true because all the digital tools out there enable teens to create work that was unheard of in the past such as YouTube videos, infographics, and screencasts just to name a few.

Finally, the piece of information that had the most impact on me was when Rainie wrote that, in the past it was thought that teens learned best passively by listening and watching, but today teens learn best actively doing and managing their own learning. This statement is so powerful and true. No longer do you walk into classrooms and libraries and see students listening to lectures instead we see students actively engaged in their learning. We now see students cooperatively working and using technology as an active and present part of their education.

Pew Reading Total For This Article: 55 slides

Current Total Pew Readings: 123 pages