I’d have to say the oldest digital native I know would be my own father. Having recently hit the big 50, he is still well aware to today’s modern digital advances and can work with them, most of the time!
With his job constantly working at a computer designing new fitting for building and other things like that, he has had to gain an understanding of what else comes with the computer package such as e-mailing.
He may not have started with the computer software, (as it was done on huge draft boards) but he can work very well with it. In many ways he prefers this new digital version of work as it can be done a lot quicker and cleaner.
Not only with computers has he manage to change the way he takes everyday by now, but also in the world of phones. Having to make and receive dozens of calls a day and travelling around the country to different jobs he has had to summon himself to the world of mobile communication. Which again has seem to not affected him at all (what can I say, it’s me who can’t even work his blackberry!).These are the main two things in this digital world that is associated with him but at least these count for something as computers and mobiles seem to be the two main digital media which have taken oven our lives and the world in this new digital age
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Yes, your dad is fairly typical of white collar workers of his generation. Most have had no 'training' as such (except on very specialised computer packages) instead, they have to pick up stuff 'on-the-job' This is often where 'communities of practice' come in!
ReplyDelete