Growing Up Digital: Rise of the Net Generation (Oracle Press Series)

Tapscott shows the role technology plays in how N-Genners learn, socialize among themselves, and interact with friends and family--often through insightful quotes from the kids themselves. Tapscott demonstrates how many clear truths, for instance that learning is social, have led to false conclusions, such as that computer use, being an individual activity, hampers social learning. And, with his N-Gen helpers, he puts the hype about Net porn in perspective. As one 15-year-old puts it, "I have never 'stumbled' into a site I didn't want to see. Not like on TV where I have occasionally flicked the channel only to 'stumble' into some gruesome murder scene." Yet the author also acknowledges that every new development has its problems and offers commonsense caution, quoting Alan Kay: "We don't have natural defenses against fat, sugar, salt, alcohol, alkaloids--or media. Television should be the last mass-communications medium to be naively designed and put into the world without a surgeon general's warning."

Tapscott creates a roadmap of the changes he believes must take place in education and industry in order to accommodate the n-generation. He outlines the new role that teachers must take-that of facilitator and motivator--and urges a shift from pedagogy to the creation of learning partnerships and learning cultures with both teachers and students participating in the design. He proposes a learning model of student-centered discovery enabled by emerging technologies.

According to Tapscott, as the Net Generation takes their place as knowledge workers in the corporate world, organizations must restructure to accommodate their networked learning/working style. Because they are the key capital investment in their corporations, organizations with hierarchical, top-down models of leadership will not survive. Only corporations that adapt to their needs for flatter, more open and responsive organizations and culture, and open communication will be able to maintain their human assets.

Tapscott's warn us to act now to prevent a digital divide, caused by the fact that many families and schools do not have computers and access to the Internet. He argues that unless government, business, and the private sector take roles in financing, building, and supporting new media technology growth in the schools and communities, we may end up as a two-tiered society.

Overall, I felt this book provides a powerful picture of the effect of growing up digital on the Net Generation and our future economy, social structures, industry, and culture. If we can adapt, the future looks promising.


Don't Read. Tapscott loses his credibility early in.   April 9, 1999
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I had high hopes for this book. I was very disappointed. The only good side to this book is the demographics, but even now I am doubted the validity of those. Tapscott early on tells the reader that this book was a complilation of net users and the internet generation's opinions. Some of the quotes said by the children is hard to imagine. THe quotes are edited entirely, and his opinions on the internet age is too baised. He is looking at the internet as a man who is 100 years old - before the conception of the internet. Don't read if you know something about the internet. Others can read it as a fantasy. In fact, some portions of the book are so far-fetched that would make good comedy at a University lecture for computer majors.


Great book about the "net generation"!   April 1, 1999
This book is a great book to read if you are interested in the net generation and how they will affect our future. He explains how they are going to change society and how they are using new technology already. This book shows what young children do on the Internet and what interests them. It is definately a book everyone must read if they are interested in the younger generation and how things are going to change in our society.