The oldest digital natives I know are my sister and brother in law. They are both in their 30’s and they work in the I.T business. They work with this technology everyday and have no qualms about using it. In the late 1980’s early 1990’s the internet and new I.T technology became highly popular which influenced the field in which my sister wanted to work in. In 1991 she was 18 and took an A-Level in Information Technology and since then has pursued a career in the area of I.T and digital technology. There is no doubt that the idea of computers and the internet and have dramatically changed since then though! The concept of new technology and digitalisation is also very important to my brother in law as he is an I.T specialist for Microsoft. This new type of technology is highly important to him as if it wasn’t for computers and I.T etc he wouldn’t have such a successful career or even have a job in this particular field.
When comparing my sister and my brother in law I think it is fair to suggest that my brother in law may be a different type of digital native to my sister. As he works for a particular new media company he knows of upcoming and new technologies that my sister and I haven’t even come across yet. This suggests that he is in an exclusive group which is somewhat ahead of other digital natives, as he is already getting to grips and trying out new software and technology for his company that hasn’t been released to the general public yet. (I personally find that really exciting and I’m a little bit jealous of him to be honest!). As I mentioned in one of my very first posts I find it bizarre how he is given a new updated laptop every 3-4 months, with new software on it, to keep him advanced in his work. It’s strange that I think that Windows Vista is the most up to date software, when on his laptop he knows of ideas and trials of other software which is being tested which is even better than Vista.
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It often strikes me that IT 'remediates' the auto industry, with insiders having technology constantly updated?
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that by 2020 it doesn't go the way of the auto industry during this recession!
I think you've hit upon an interesting group. IT professionals are everywhere you look aren't they? Most people involved over the age of 35 have probably had to pick up their IT skills via self-instruction and CsofP, but IT professionals have had training as well. Still, do you think those over a certain age do it 'with an accent'? Using non digital as well as digital processes?