Submitted By Stacy Calfo, Director of Communications, Public Relations & Marketing at Greensboro Day School
Our Children & The iGeneration
“As the pace of technological change accelerates, mini-generations are defined by their distinctive patterns of media use, levels of multitasking, and preferred methods of communication. Among these mini-generations, differences are also being found in their values as well as levels of social and political activism. We have seen a rapid emergence of two mini-generations, and maybe even a third. There is the young adult Net Geners (born between 1980 and 1989) followed by teen iGeners (born from 1990 to 1999), and the first generation born in the 21st century, yet unnamed and still too young to fully define.” – Nieman Reports (Harvard University) on Mini-Generations.
Greensboro Day School will host Dr. Larry Rosen, author of Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net Generation and Rewired: Understanding the iGeneration and the Way They Learn, on February 2 at 7:00 p.m. The discussion will be held in the Sloan Theatre in the GDS Center for the Arts on the Greensboro Day School campus. Admission is complimentary and open to the public.
According to Nieman Reports, “There are some things we are starting to find out about this yet-to-be-labeled generation. Nielsen’s texting data show an average of 1,164 monthly texts for children and preteens. And the popularity of preteen and child-based social networks (e.g., Club Penguin, Barbie Girls) and the dramatic changes in media (e.g., 3-D kids’ movies) lead us to believe that their ways of communicating and approach to getting and sharing information will be different from their teen siblings.
“How this generation adapts to technology—and the impact it has on family dynamics, on the classroom experience, and on what entertainment looks like and how it is consumed—is at the forefront of understanding these newer generations.” – Nieman Reports (Harvard University) on Mini-Generations.
Dr. Rosen is Past Chair and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Rosen and his colleagues have examined reactions to technology among more than 30,000 children, teens, college students, parents, business managers, secretaries, school teachers, and university administrators in the United States and in 23 other countries. He has written four books, dozens of articles for professional journals, has given national and international presentations and writes a column for the bi-monthly newspaper The National Psychologist.
Dr. Rosen’s current research includes generational differences in technology and media usage, the impact of media on health in children and teens, the impact of text message interruptions during classroom lectures, an examination of the impact of MySpace on parents and adolescents, online dating, multitasking and English literacy in children and adults, preferences for peer versus expert opinions on the Internet, and the impact of video game playing by children, teenagers, and young adults. Visit this site for more information about Dr. Rosen.
Dr. Rosen is the featured presenter for the School’s 2011 McLendon Speaker Series. The 2011 McLendon Speaker Series is funded by the Charles A. McLendon Faculty and Parent Education Endowment, the Burlington Industries Foundation in memory of Charles A. McLendon, and the GDS Parents’ Association.
Greensboro Day School opened its doors in 1970, the result of the dreams and hard work of dozens of parents who challenged themselves to build the best education possible for their children and for generations of children to come. Few of those parents expected a school of 95 students to grow so quickly into the leader in independent education that it is today. That challenge… to build a socially and economically diverse community that honors and nurtures relationships among students, faculty and community within a dynamic educational environment… is one that the school has accepted and exceeded.
With an enrollment of over 800 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade, Greensboro Day School is one of the largest nonsectarian independent schools in the Piedmont Triad, and is known throughout the nation for its excellence in education. For 40 years, its success has been defined by their challenging academic program, their emphasis on honor and values, and their dedication to each individual child and family. Today, they are more committed than ever to developing the intellectual, ethical, and interpersonal foundations students need to become constructive contributors to the world.
Want to go?
Dr. Larry Rosen
Wednesday, Feb. 2
7:00 pm
GDS Center for the Arts
5401 Lawndale Drive
Admission is Free
Want to visit Greensboro Day School?
Walk-in-Wednesdays are informal times to tour the campus and learn more about the GDS difference in education. Visit the admission office any Wednesday in January and February beginning at 8:30 am. Personal tours are also available. Call 288-8590 or visit www.greensboroday.org for more information.
