The App Generation

     We are teaching students now who are immersed in technology and using apps to get instant information/gratification. This has some positive and negative results. On the positive side, those who are more introverted have the means to express themselves and to find "friends" with similar interests. Using apps for them may be a way to interact with others when they might not otherwise. The downside of this is that these friendships may only continue to be superficial. With shopping apps, those who are introverted can live almost exclusively at home without ever having to have contact with the outside world. Depending on your point of view, this could be a good or bad thing.       Online personal profiles also allow experimentation with how students wish others to see them, which may be helpful at an age when kids are finding their own identities. Since the app generation seems to be a lot more tolerant and open with their sexuality, reaching out to similarly minded people could help in the case of someone who might have difficulty coming out of the closet with their family. In my opinion, if social apps are used to initiate friendships which are followed by face to face interaction, I would see this as a positive thing. In addition, one could find friends and be pen pals of sorts and have virtual friends from all over the world and thus learning about other cultures and perhaps being exposed to other points of views. With instant messaging and apps like "What's App" this is all possible.
     Teaching the app generation student means we have to be prepared for shorter attention spans and less imagination. We also need to probably be better at providing instant feedback. Blended learning is a must. What I have personally noticed about the students I teach now is that many of them do not know how to read a clock and they cannot quickly alphabetize. Spelling and grammar are extremely difficult without the help of a word processor. Planning and organizing skills are not as strong since it is all too easy to make arrangements with friends on the fly.  I think this is because they are so used to just getting this information from apps on their phones. Another thing I have noticed is that they will immediately look to their phone for entertainment if they are not being directly spoken to.
    While I enjoy using many apps myself, I know I also have social skills, executive functioning skills, and I could pretty much survive without my phone for a few days. I am not sure this is true for the app generation.