Today’s students are different than students were 15 years ago. They learn differently and as a result feel disconnected from schools that were designed for another time.
This digital generation takes in and responds to rapidly transmitted sights and sounds whether on television, computers or video games.
Digital students are hypercommunicators.
They use many means to stay in constant touch with their peers and to access information about their world. They commonly use land phones, cell phones, beepers, iPods, handheld devices (PDAs), email, the Internet, instant messaging and fax machines.
Digital students are multitaskers.
They see no problem watching TV, browsing the Internet, listening to music and communicating with their friends at the same time.
Digital students are goal oriented.
When multitasking, they may pursue multiple goals at the same time. Digital students are ambitious and success oriented.
Carl Owens
Professor and Director of Technology, College of Education, Tennessee Technological University
![Students walking in a hallway [photo]](http://images.apple.com/education/digitalkids/images/image_index.jpg)
