The world does not stand still. It undergoes constant changes as well as people living in it. It would be incorrect to say that modern teenagers need to know the same things which Tom Sawyer knew.
Of course, some basics are always stable and do not disappear anywhere. At all times, young people have more chances to succeed in life if they are able to communicate efficiently, generate original ideas, bring all tasks to a conclusion, and solve problems under pressure. In addition, everyone has general human needs, such as water, food, housing, safety, and health - both physical and psychological.
But there are also features peculiar to different historical periods. We live in the informatization era and constant connectivity to the virtual space is extremely important for us. Only digital natives can become successful in the real world. Criteria determining whether a person may be happy, build a career and strong relationships change, just like drugs change the action of viruses, salt changes the retention period of meat, or electricity has changed the way how people work and sleep.
In this article, experts from Pro-Papers have outlined the fundamental things which young people should know in the digital world. Of course, this is just the beginning. In fact, this list is endless.
Information sources
Learning pathways
Human spaces
Socializing ideas
- What consequences idea sharing may entail: successful implementing, attracting new parties to a project, plagiarism, etc?
- The best moment to share an idea when working on a task.
- How to popularize ideas in the digital space?
Digital participation
- Netiquette and the rules of digital citizenship.
- How to use media materials created by other people without violating copyright?
- The differences between private and social information and operations which may be done with each type.
- What expertise a student can offer to the digital community?
- How to take only needed data and not drown in the sea of information?
Publishing
- The types of information which people strive to find on the Internet.
- Which content may be shared with individual online users, groups, or the whole planet? The difference in scale and format between e-mails, posts in social media, forum chats, etc.
- Advantages of the fact that digital texts may be updated and changed an infinite number of times.
Applying technology
- The differences between smartphones, laptops, desktops, tablets, the ways how they may be used individually and together, with a wire and wirelessly.
- How to store and share information in a cloud?
- Original ways to use gadgets going beyond their initial purpose. For example, a smartphone may be used for note-taking, improving literacy, time management, etc.
Audience
Social rules
- When it is appropriate to take a phone in hands? For example, it is not worth updating statuses, checking messages and likes in social networks while sitting in a classroom in front of a lecturer or at a dining table with relatives. Such behavior may be perceived as culture-free.
- Time suitable for sending messages, depending on a communication platform. E-mail quite may be sent at night because most people check post at work and keep it closed at home. But it would be tactless to disturb a boss in instant messengers if a notification may wake up a recipient.
- The importance of patience, for example, if a software fails or an interlocutor does not respond.
Diction
Connecting with experts
Software
- Peculiarities of different operating systems: Windows, iOS, Android, etc.
- Advantages and disadvantages of accessing social networks via mobile apps.
- How to evaluate the privacy of an app?
- Some apps may close and take all your files.
- Nothing is free because software companies are businesses striving to earn money.
46 Things Every Student Should Know In A Digital World
