Friday, 12 February 2010

The new digital generation

I found the following report of a large Pan-European survey of 3000 8-14 year-olds very interesting. These young people have grown up in this digital age and never known life without digital entertainment, mobile phones or social media channels.

The results (XDs are apparently children of the X generation)

Digital Generation-– while completely at ease with technology, XDs use it to enhance rather than replace face-to-face social interaction.
> Face-to-face contact is still the most preferable way to meet up with friends (30%) over and above texting (15%), online chat (14%) and mobile (8%)
>95% feel that the internet and computers are important to them
> 53% feel the internet improves their life by helping them talk to their friends outside school
> 44% say the internet makes it easier to stay in touch with friends
> Homework (59%) scores second only to gaming (74%) for most common uses of the internet
> 64% of XDs would much rather work for themselves than for someone else when they grow up
Generation Aspiration – despite the celebrity dominated environment that XDs have grown up in, they have strong family values and aspire to traditional vocations rather than the pursuit of fame.
>Topping the poll in every single country as the person they admire most in the world is mum at 43%, with dad coming second at 30%
> 97% of XDs believe it is important to look after the planet, with 74% already recycling regularly



Viewing these results from the D(inosaur) generation where I am considered very 'with it' to even use a computer or wave a mobile (I keep it for emergencies!) I find them rather reassuring!

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