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Online Store - Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World HC
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List Price: $27.95
Our Price: $18.45
Your Save: $ 9.50 ( 34% )
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Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 305.23
EAN: 9780071508636
ISBN: 0071508635
Label: McGraw-Hill
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 384
Publication Date: 2008-10-03
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Studio: McGraw-Hill
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Editorial Reviews:
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SELECTED AS A 2008 BEST BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE ECONOMIST. . The Net Generation Has Arrived. .
Are you ready for it? . . Chances are you know a person between the ages of 11 and 30. You've seen them doing five things at once: texting friends, downloading music, uploading videos, watching a movie on a two-inch screen, and doing who-knows-what on Facebook or MySpace. They're the first generation to have literally grown up digital--and they're part of a global cultural phenomenon that's here to stay. . . The bottom line is this: If you understand the Net Generation, you will understand the future. . . If you're a Baby Boomer or Gen-Xer: This is your field guide. . . A fascinating inside look at the Net Generation, Grown Up Digital is inspired by a $4 million private research study. New York Times bestselling author Don Tapscott has surveyed more than 11,000 young people. Instead of a bunch of spoiled �screenagers� with short attention spans and zero social skills, he discovered a remarkably bright community which has developed revolutionary new ways of thinking, interacting, working, and socializing. . . Grown Up Digital reveals: . . - How the brain of the Net Generation processes information .
- Seven ways to attract and engage young talent in the workforce.
- Seven guidelines for educators to tap the Net Gen potential.
- Parenting 2.0: There's no place like the new home .
- Citizen Net: How young people and the Internet are transforming democracy.
. Today's young people are using technology in ways you could never imagine. Instead of passively watching television, the �Net Geners� are actively participating in the distribution of entertainment and information. For the first time in history, youth are the authorities on something really important. And they're changing every aspect of our society-from the workplace to the marketplace, from the classroom to the living room, from the voting booth to the Oval Office. . . The Digital Age is here. The Net Generation has arrived. Meet the future. .
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: Fairly Interesting but Distracting Layout & Overly Rosy View of Gen Y
Comment: As a Gen Xer raising "digital native" children, I've been following the debate between technology enthusiasts like Mr. Tapscott and technology alarmists like Dr. Mark Bauerlein (author of The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30)) over the impact of computers on the developing brain. I find myself agreeing with some of the arguments on both sides. The truth seems rather more nuanced than the overly rosy picture painted by Mr. Tapscott and the overly negative one painted by Dr. Bauerlein.
"Grown Up Digital" actually criticizes "The Dumbest Generation" at length but much of that critique is a simple dismissal of Dr. Bauerlein as a crusty "NetGenophobe" who feels threatened by the cultural changes embraced by the younger generation. In addition, some of the data Mr. Tapscott uses to claim that the NetGen is smarter is flawed. For example, he includes a graph of SAT scores jumping in 1995, right when he puts the first NetGeners entering the data pool, without mentioning that was the very same year the exam was completely redesigned (including allowing calculator use) and re-centered. One simply cannot directly compare pre-'95 SAT scores with post-'95 scores. Average scores on the ACT (which was not redesigned) did not show a similar increase and, in fact, *DECLINED* between 2001 and 2005.
The other big issue I had with "Grown Up Digital" was the cluttered style of the book. It is laid out like a magazine or webpage with lots of subtitles and text blurbs rather than a scholarly work. I suppose it makes it easier for the type of superficial skimming that the NetGen is so fond of, but I found it distracting when trying to give Mr. Tapscott's arguments careful consideration.
The final thing I did not care for in "Grown Up Digital" was the absolutely fawning treatment of Barack Obama in the chapter on the NetGen and democracy. Any discussion of Obama's candidacy is going to be positive because however one feels about Obama's political views, one has to give him credit for his tremendous success in mobilizing support among NetGeners via social media and the like. That said, Mr. Tapscott (a former student activist during the '60's) goes *WAY* over the top in his gushing over Obama- it's almost sycophantic. And it also overlooks the fact that Obama's support was not as universal among NetGeners as Mr. Tapscott would have his readers believe. Nearly 1 in 3 voters under 30 ended up casting their ballots for McCain in the 2008 general election. "Grown Up Digital" would've been better off had Mr. Tapscott been more objective in his discussion of Obama and less swayed by his own liberal beliefs.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Who Shouldn't Read This Book?!
Comment: As a Net Gener myself, I couldn't help but wonder if Don Tapscott had been looking over my shoulder when he wrote this book. Grown Up Digital not only captured the essence of what it means to be a part of the Net Generation, but I found myself acting out the exact things he wrote. When I began reading, I had the television on (strictly as background noise) and my laptop was only feet away if I needed to check my email or visit a Web site mentioned in the book.
Tapscott's explanation of what it means to be a part of the Net Generation is consummate. I found myself nodding along as I read the eight Net Gen norms illustrated in multiple chapters. I have more friends changing jobs every two or three years, or moving back home while they figure out how to have a more worthwhile career. I have received emails calling a company out on things such as their employee treatment or their non-philanthropic agenda. I, in turn, scrutinize that email to make sure it is factual before I take any boycott action. And sometimes I do lose my patience when things are not progressing at high speed.
Executives, politicians, Net Gen parents and Net Geners themselves need to read this book. All would benefit from Tapscott's insight into what makes the Net Gen tic. He touches on this generation's current and eventual impact in the workplace, government and the family structure. Grown Up Digital clearly illustrates how much this generation already has and will affect this world.
I don't think my generation has all the answers to the world's problems, but I finished this book with a sense of hope. Not everyone sees us as lazy and apathetic. Tapscott recognizes us for who we are- an innovative, passionate and history-changing group of young people, and he provides plenty of anecdotes and research to back him up.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The world has changed and here is proof!!!
Comment: This is a stellar book. It encompasses many areas--education and learning, business/management, politics, parenting, technology, community and global volunteerism, and simply growing up with all the new and exciting information and technology that surrounds us. It is simultaneously a snapshot of today and an insightful look at where we are going as individuals, families, companies, communities, and a species.
If you want to relate to your children better, get a copy of this book. If you want to understand your workplace or learning environment better, read this book. If you want to hold out hope for our planet, flip through at least the final chapters of this book.
If you did not have the time or energy to read a single newspaper, magazine, or journal article related to technology and change this year and want to cath up, then get this book and read it when you have time (hopefully very soon). Don Tapcott has done the reading for you and will make sense of the current trends; especially as they relate to the Net Generation. With two kids of my own in the Net Gen (with coincidentally the same names as Don's kids), I definitely can relate to each chapter. Volunteerism, especially among my daughter and her friends (Chapter 10)...it is exactly as he states it. Politics and the Obama factor this year (Chapter 9)--presto, my son, a college junior, was all over that. Living near home longer (Chapter 8)...my kids returned from college last week (including one who was studying abroad and has no plans to relocate from here anytime soon). Yes, he is right, a more democratic family decision making style will build strong ties. N-Fluence networks and purchasing behaviors (Chapter 7)...my daughter and her boyfriend scoped out a new MacBook online and gathered all the details they wanted a few days back, including much information from their friends in Facebook, and then went into Best Buy and she helped him purchase it.
Rethinking talent and the management of young people in firms (Chapter 6)...my son and I have chatted about this issue this many times. He wants the flexible times and challenging and engaging work which Don discusses in many sections of his book. Anyone in a management position in business today should be reading at the very least Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7.
Rethinking education (Chapter 5)--well, as a university professor in educational psychology and instructional technology (distance learning) this is what I teach and write about so it struck a chord. I have written a book, in fact, that extends Thomas Friedman's World is Flat book to education (in press for June, 2009). Hence, I now only agree with his perspective in Chapter 5, I can relate to the reading and synthesizing Don had to engage in to write such a book. It is not easy to do such a book and stay sane. It is clear that he has a great research and support team at nGenera who help him tremendously and for which he should be proud to have built.
I already have recommended Don's book to my family, friends, graduate students, and work colleagues. In fact, I bought a few copies for close friends who ran an e-learning conference with me in Las Vegas last month. They were surprised and most appreciative. I think Don was even surprised when I told him since he may not have realized that his book was even out at the time.
There is so much good stuff packed in every chapter of Grown Up Digital, it was difficult for me to read it front to back. I read this book as follows: Intro, then back matter, Chapter 1, then back matter again, Chapter 2, Notes and Biblio again, Chapter 11, Chapter 10, Chapter 9, Chapter 8, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 on rethinking education (of course of most interest to me), Chapter 7, and finally Chapter 6. I saved two of the longest chapters for last (which I likely starred almost as much content, if not more, than my favorite one, Chapter 5). I have 100's of starred points. Pages that stick out include pp. 34-37 (the 8 Net Generation Norms), 58-64 (stuff on how this generation lives with technology), 104-105 (how life on the Internet may be impacting your brain), 140-142 (learning must become more personalized!), 154-162 (the current talent shortage and what the Net Generation wants), 165-167 (work should be fun not just menial tasks), 173-178 (do more than recruit--build relationships, engage, and foster collaboration when at work), 208-213 (enlist consumer (and employee) support and passion when building products--prosumers), 258-264 (participatory and interactive government and marketspace), 279-287 (good people helping the world; activism), etc. I tried not to mark the book too much but as I progressed into it I could not help myself. It is that good. Sorta reminds me of my reading of his Wikinomics book last year, though that book I listened to first and then read parts that I wanted to revisit. I cannot wait for Grown Up Digital to come out in audio so I can buy a copy and then listen to it (the reverse of what I did with Wikinomics).
This book is packed with content and yet, as Don notes in the introduction, he had to delete a ton of stuff. Nevertheless, I see many familiar names who also appear in my upcoming "The World is Open" book--Chris Dede, J. S. Brown, Michael Wesch, Marc Prensky, Barry Joseph, Nicholas Carr, Henry Jenkins, Seymour Papert, and Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis (both of whom also appear in Thomas Friedman's World is Flat book). I also appreciated his comments about Just In Time Teaching, Butler University (where I have a daughter enrolled as a freshman), the Big Picture Company, and the new sharing generation. You will have to read it and find out why.
And I starred and underlined his comments about motivation of today's youth on p. 160 and many other places--the need for meaningful learning, challenge, variety, choice, flexibility, etc. Given high school drop-out rates, not just in Detroit and Indianapolis (as pointed out by Time and Oprah), motivating young adults is perhaps the most important thing in education today. Don's book should start the conversation going here! Let's hope. Enjoy the book!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good perspectives - look a bit deeper
Comment: The author's observations about the influence of technology on NetGeners opens up some interesting and enlightening distinctions for this Boomer. From an adult development theory perspective, there are likely other, more fundamental factors at play. Specifically, at the Diplomat stage - where many teens and young adults are growing through - the importance of fitting in with peers is of paramount importance. Self-identity is strongly linked to the group identity - peer pressure/need to conform frequently masquerades as collaboration.
Regarding Boomers, some of the differences from NetGeners the author cites may result from foundational differences in stage - such as linking self-esteem to knowing the right answer or self-identity based on personal, individual achievement.
Later stages of adult development exhibit a more genuinely collaborative model.
Leaders and coaches will benefit from applying the lessons provided. All in all, an interesting treatment of the manifestations of technology on how different generations adopt, adapt, and see the world.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Gen Y: grown up and not so hard to understand
Comment: Several years ago two books greatly impacted my life: The Social Life of Information and Wikinomics. I decided to leave teaching graduate business courses and jump into developing collaborative and social networking technologies. Little did I know that in short order I would join nGenera and Don Tapscott.
Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World HC is the product of an amazing amount of research, and provides a thorough, timely and thought provoking qualitative analysis of the "Net Generation," aka Gen Y or Millennials. For a Gen Xer or Baby Boomer, this is a must read and leadership manual like no other. We are experiencing one of the few eras where three generations in significant numbers are in the workforce at the same time. The gap from Boomer to Millennial is substantial, not just in technology adoption and behaviors, but even in brain development. Tapscott succeeds in explaining these differences and also dispels many of the common myths surrounding Gen Y.
Some of the key Net Generation characteristics identified by Tapscott include making choices that ensure professional freedom, customizing technology to suite individual needs, scrutinizing the claims of others, living with much more integrity and tolerance, being highly collaborative, and a focus on entertainment, speed and innovation.
Another key point, especially for educators, is that the Net Generation is enrolling in and dropping out of college in huge numbers. The problem is not their desire to learn, but antiquated methodologies for delivering education that do not appeal to their collaborative and connected nature. This book provides a great roadmap for redesigning education delivery and educators should reconsider how they design the learning experience.
Tapscott's key caveat, which I share from my own experience, is that the open nature of GenY may come at the cost of future personal privacy as social networking behaviors are now captured digitally and permanently. But perhaps Gen Y's lack of secrecy and resulting integrity will create a future where we have fewer Enrons and Bernard Madoffs.
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