數位學習者及數位研究者

2007.4.26的「2007 e-Learning數位學習論壇」研討會，其中新加坡南洋理工大學的Dr. Tiong Hok Tan(Daniel Tan)講“Next Generation Learning”(連結下載ppt)。其中提到新世代(或稱數位原住民digital natives[1]、千禧世代millenials、Y世代、網際世代net generation[2])的行為特徵，這些對圖書館而言很有參考性(在此數位時代，圖書館欲提供不同面貌及價值的服務之時)，現節錄其中令我印象深刻的部分：

Era and People [四種世代人的差別]
•Traditionalists: born prior to 1946 (>62)
–Brand and retail store loyal, gone through the depression and war
•Baby Boomers: born 1946-64 (43 - 61)
–Reminded to eat the plate clean. Into home and kitchens upgrade; enjoys gourmet food
•Generation X: born 1965-81 (26 - 42)
–Likes to be educated and informed; no major enduring hard economical times
•Net-Geners/Millenials: born 1982-2000 (7 -25)
–Live, breath, shop, link up on the web. Well informed.

Product of the Environment [不同世代，不同產物]
Baby Boomers: TV,Typewriters,Telephone,Family focus…
Generation X: Video games, PC, Email, Audio CDs, Individualist
Net Gen: Web, Cell phone, IM, MP3, MPEG, Online communities

Clash point on Training [各世代對訓練的看法不同]
Traditionalists: I learned the hard way ; you can too!
Baby Boomers: Train them too much, and they’ll leave.
Gen Xers: The more they learn, the more they stay.
Net Gen: Continuous learning is a way of life.

Characteristics of Millenials- Digital Natives[數位原住民在資訊方面的特徵]
Information
• Multitask
• Nomadic
• Format agnostic
• Experiential
• Collaborative
• Integrated
• Hyperconnect and hypercommunicate

a need to move from teacher led instruction to project-based, student- centered, self-directed learning[教學的方式應有所轉變]

Learning Characteristics of Millenials[千禧世代學習上的特徵]
•Trial and error is the key learning strategy (games logic)
•They are used to bits & bytes and technology
•They want their (digital immigrant) parents involved
•There is zero tolerance for delays
•They value feedback
•Gravitate to group activity and team work
•They want structures, rules and authority
•They prefer experiential activities

Adding not replacing [溝通及環境的多重性：在原有的模式外增加其他的方式]
Face-to-face + Online + Social networks →→ Blended Communication and Environment
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不僅是e-learning，現在學術研究者也走向e-research(數位研究)。一份英國的研究報告(Researchers' Use of Academic Libraries and their Services，研究者對學術圖書館及其服務的利用)提到e-research、跨科際或跨機構的研究、大量研究成果以數位形式出現，這些都對圖書館產生新的挑戰。[3]

在數位學習及數位研究興起時，圖書館應思考要扮演怎樣的角色及該採取怎樣的策略吧！

[1]Digital Natives一詞首先由學者Prensky提出，見其文章(pdf)。或參閱 "Digital Natives" and eLearning/ By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.；或Answers.com的解釋。
[2]參見Y世代Wikipedia解釋。
[3]參見Lorcan Dempsey's Academic Library Organization一文。