Throughout history, numerous names were assigned to various generations of Americans. The titling of the generations was reflective of the time and the culture of that particular era. In a recent presentation, Merritt (2002) used the following labels in the box on the left for generations over the last hundred years. Other labels and slightly different time frames are used by others. There was the "greatest generation" signified by the heroic acts of patriotism and their defense of democracy. The "baby boom" generation, was born between 1946 and 1964, and was considered by many to be the "TV generation".

This new generation has many labels such as the:

• Y Generation (Merritt, 2002).
• Millennials.
• Echo Boomers.
• Digital Generation.
• Net Generation (Tapscott, 1998).

Each label attempts to describe the cultural values and characteristics that represent the children of today.

I prefer to use Tapscott’s (1998) term, Net Generation. His early writings certainly influenced my thoughts on the implications of the Net generation on nursing education and practice. According to Tapscott (1998), the N-Geners refers to the "generation of children who, in 1999, were between the ages of two and twenty-two" (p. 3). This generation has grown up in a digital world. They are different from other generations in that their lives are surrounded by digital media (Tapscott, 1998). Let’s start to examine this generation by looking at the sheer numbers and the demographic information available on them.

In this chapter of the Living Book you will:

• Describe the major characteristics of the Net generation and how this generation plays, learns and works in society.
• Identify the potential impact of the Net generation on the nature and delivery of nursing education and health care.
• Analyze changes that nursing education and health care must implement to accommodate the Net generation.

STATISTICS ON THE NET GENERATION

A quick look at the US Census data indicates that a total of 25.7% of the total population, roughly 70 million are under the age of 18 years old with another 7.8 million between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. You can easily look at the statistics of your state and the surrounding region at this US Census government web site.

ACTIVITY:

Go to the website below:

Look up the number of N-Geners in your state and enter it into the box below.

The number of N-Gen students in my state is:

Consider these questions…

• Were you surprised at this number?
• Was it more or less than you expected?
• What does this mean?
• Will your student body be mainly composed of N-Geners within the next few years?
• Or does your program attract a mix of generations?
• If so, how do you think the N-Geners will "fit in" with students of other generations?

If you wish, type your responses in the box below.

THE NET GENERATION AND THE INTERNET

To further understand about this generation, let us look at some statistics about this group and the Internet. There are numerous surveys and sites to read about youth and the Internet. Here is a sampling from a 2001 study conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life group. They estimated that approximately 17 million or 73% of youths between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet. For teenagers, the Internet is a way of life. It plays a major role in their relationships with family, friends and school. Internet usage includes the use of instant messaging (IM). Close to 13 million or 74% of the online teens use IM as a major communication vehicle. IM is used not only to chat with friends but as a mechanism for communicating unpleasant things to friends or starting/ending relationships. As a contrast, IM is only used by 44% of online adults.

In the newest Department of Commerce study (Victory & Cooper, February 2002), A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet, 89.5 % of all school-aged children (between the ages of 5 and 17) use computers and 58.5% of them use the Internet. Internet usage increases with age and more that 75.6 % of 14-17 year olds use the Internet. A striking finding is that 14.3% of children between the ages of 3-4 years old have reported use of the Internet. According to this study, the digital generation uses the Internet for completing homework assignments, playing games and communicating. The older the child, the more likely the Internet is being used as a communication device.

One particular web site, Cyberatlas, contains numerous reports about Internet usage especially by our nation's youth. In one web article, Web as a way of life, Robyn Greenspan (May 21, 2002) stated that:

More than 32 million Internet users chose a school or college in the past two years and 36 percent say the Internet was crucial to the selection. Another 32 percent placed minor importance on the Internet's role, with minorities and younger Americans more likely to rely on the Internet for making decisions about schools.

There is no doubt that the Net generation accesses computers and uses the Internet. The current wireless or mobile rage only serves to complicate their technical prowess. In another recent study presented by Brent Marcus on the Digitrends web site, young adults, aged 10-24, labeled as the Y generation are the fastest growing market for wireless and data services in the USA over the next few years. The research group, Cahners In-Stat, predicts that the youth wireless subscribers will reach 43 million by 2004. Not only will this generation be using computers and the Internet, they will be doing it in real time with their wireless devices.

GOALS OF THIS CHAPTER

To provide the broadest context for this generation, no matter the name or label, this chapter reviews several key articles in an attempt to describe this generation. This chapter serves two fundamental goals. The first is to present the major characteristics of this generation and summarize how this generation plays, learns and works in society. The second goal is to highlight the major impacts of the net generation on nursing education and practice.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NET GENERATION

Let’s start with the groundbreaking work of Tapscott (1998) in his book, Growing up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation. In this work, Tapscott worked with a research team who collaborated with hundreds of children across six continents. This research was conducted using a shared digital workspace and the Internet. Tapscott (1998) did not want to use the Y generation label as he found it too diffuse and wanted to find a positive label that truly reflected the power of the demographics and the power of the digital media. Here is what Tapscott's research team found.

The most notable observation was that technology and the world of digital media are "like air" (Tapscott, 1998), something that just exists. Perhaps Alan Kay in 1994 best described it…"technology is technology only for people who were born before it was invented." (as cited in Tapscott, 1996, p.17). As John Seely Brown stated " the role of the child in the family is changing and in many households the child is the authority when it comes to technology" (as cited in Tapscott, 1998, p.36). At the heart of this generation is the notion of interactivity…it is not a passive generation but one that fully expects to interact and be part of their culture. Accordingly, ten themes emerged to describe the N-Gener's culture. These may be found at:

TAPSCOTT’S THEMES

Fierce independence

Their sense of autonomy derives from their experiences of being an active information seeker, creating their own online identities, creating their own information and being able to acquire knowledge to make decisions about the information.

Emotional and intellectual openness

The N-Geners value the openness of the online environment but are acutely aware that certain personal information such as address and phone numbers should not be shared freely. Many like the anonymity of the net.

Inclusion

They view the world in a global context and move toward greater inclusion with technology. The Internet provides a haven where race or prejudice is not an ever-present dimension.

Free expression and strong views

With access to knowledge resources at their fingertips, the N-Geners "consider access to information and the expression of opinion to be fundamental rights" (Tapscott, 1998, p.70). Perhaps the most poignant expression of this theme is the netiquette statement associated with the Growing up Digital web site:

Innovation

This net savvy group is constantly trying to push the technology to its next level. They are continuously trying to improve and create their own cyberworlds.

Preoccupation with maturity

Armed with knowledge, they strive to be more mature than their predecessors.

Investigations

Curiosity, "looking under the hood" and the ability to change things, are underlying forces for the N-Geners.

Immediacy

This generation views the world as 24 –7 and demands real time and fast processing. The idea of waiting weeks for a response is just not in their worldview.

Sensitivity to corporate interest

Net savvy individuals are more aware of corporate interests and oppose their influence especially when it comes to spamming on the Internet.

Authentication and trust

Net savvy individuals know the need to verify and check resources and authenticate people. Once a relationship is established, trust is established.

ACTIVITY:

Think about an N-Gener that you know. Perhaps you have a child of this generation… or a niece or nephew…or a neighbor?

Think about Tapscott’s themes and fill in examples of behaviors that illustrate each theme in the table below.

Tapscott further described that the N-Geners want learning to be engaging and exciting. The N-Geners live in a global networked knowledge-based society. They view learning as interactive and participatory. They are more likely to be involved in discourse with others including the teacher than to be listening to the teacher spout facts and figures. Connectivity and social learning are keys in the world of N-Geners. They like to research a topic, inform each other, and construct their ideas from their research and within the context of their own experiences. They are interacting, debating, brainstorming and influencing each other in the learning process. Given these characteristics and learning processes, Tapscott postulated there are eight consequences of the N-Geners shift from the traditional broadcast method of teaching to this interactive learning model. The following table highlights these shifts.

ACTIVITY:

Read about The New Teacher. Consider each of the following questions and type your responses in the boxes below them. Use the link below:

Consider each of the following questions and type your responses in the boxes below them.

How does Richard Ford’s view compare to your own? Describe ways in which it is similar and different:

Ford describes his learning model as a place where "everyone relies on their own resources, and on everyone else, sharing their expertise."

List one or two examples of approaches that you could use to implement such a model in a course that you teach.

The notion of play is also a distinguishing characteristic of this Net generation. Play, according to Tapscott (1998) is productive and tied to technology. Play and learning become intermingled. For Tapscott and John Seely Brown, play is an important and overlooked function in promoting creativity. Video gaming, playing in MUDs (Multi-user dimensions or dungeons), chat rooms and e-pals are all a part of learning and entertainment. To learn more about Tapscott's views of play, you can visit his web site bu clicking on the button below:

CONSUMERISM AND THE NET GENERATION

The net generation is also distinguished from other generations by their purchasing power. Teens spent their own money to purchase many products. According to Tapscott (1998), these five themes illustrate the N-Geners as consumers:

• They want options.
• They want customization.
• They want to change their minds.
• They want to try before they buy.
• Technology does not dazzle them, they want function (what can it do for me?)

For more information on the N-Geners as consumers, you can visit the following web site:

Consumerism is an important factor in the culture of the Net generation. Again it serves as a distinguishing characteristic. In Merritt's (2002) recent talk, he highlighted that the current Y generation teens are enormous consumers. Merritt cited Teenage Research Unlimited (2000) data to indicate the following trends: Teens spend 155 billion dollars a year with an average weekly spending of $84, of which 57 dollars is their own money; Two thirds have savings accounts while 22% have checking accounts; A smaller percentage (18%) owns stocks & bonds and has mutual funds (8%).

It is important to consider the Net generation and their relationship to consumerism as it will play an ever increasingly important role in their selection of higher education opportunities and how they will act as a health care consumer…one that you may care for in the hospital or as an advanced practice nurse in a clinic or community setting.

LEARNING CHARACTERISTICS OF NET GENERS

Now let us look at other corroborative research about this generation. John Seely Brown (2000) described today's youth as digital learners. Brown and colleagues at Xerox PARC invited adolescents to their work place to observe them as they created workspaces for the future. From their observations, these digital learners were distinguished from other generations by the following characteristics:

Multiprocessing
The digital learner can do several things at once despite what parents think. One can listen to music, talk on the phone and answer email.

Multimedia literacy
The digital learner's literacy is beyond text and includes images and screen literacy. This new literacy, beyond text and image, is one of information navigation…the ability to navigate through confusing and complex information spaces and feel comfortable" (Brown, 2000 p. 14).

Discovery-based learning
This learning merges with play. The digital learner is active and searches for knowledge and there is a merger between learning and entertainment, thus creating "infotainment" (Brown 2000 p. 14).

Bricolage
The digital learner's form of reasoning is not deductive or abstract but more similar to Claude Levi-Strauss' concept of bricolage, the science of concrete. According to Brown (2000) learners find "something concrete like an object, tool, document or piece of code, to build something more important" (p. 14). As used by Claude Levi-Strauss, the term bricolage describes how people use different objects around them to develop and assimilate ideas. Accordingly, "judgment is inherently critical to becoming an effective digital bricoleur" (Brown, 2000, p. 14).

Bias toward action
The digital learner focuses on learning in situ. Learning is as much social as it is cognitive and becomes situated in action.

ACTIVITY:

Consider whether you are you a digital learner. Fill in the Table.

Are you a digital learner?	YES	NO
Do you multiprocess?
Do you have multimedia literacy?
Do you learn by discovery?
Are you a bricoleur?
Would you rather learn by doing?

The issue is not whether you are a digital learner. The real message is that you need to be aware of what kind of learner you are, and then think about how you approach learners whose learning style does not match your own. There has been much written about this topic…enough for another chapter! For now just think about the following and type some ideas that will help you plan new strategies to incorporate into your teaching activities.

How does your rating as a digital learner influence your teaching?

Is your style of teaching effective with students who do not match your style?
How do you address their needs?

FRAND’S TEN ATTRIBUTES OF THE INFORMATION-AGE MINDSET

This generation of students who fall into the classification of the information-age mindset is younger than the personal computer and one who is computer savvy. His basic premise is the information-age mindset generation is driven by the need for constant connectivity.

Frand (2000) has divided these ten attributes into three different categories: broad observations of change; how people do things; and subliminal needs conditioned by the cyberage. Let's look at these attributes that are grouped according to the three themes.

Category I: Broad Observations of Change

The first Category relates to broad observations of change.

Attribute 1: Computers are not technology. The first attribute is one echoed by many, in particular Alan Kay. If it was around when you were born, then it is not technology. Computers, the Internet, the web, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and digital cameras are merely tools and devices used in everyday life.

These digital technologies are viewed from an entirely different lens by the industrial-age mindset generation who perceives these as "incredibly sophisticated technologies" (Frand, 2000 p.16). This cartoon of a duck smashing the computer out of frustration represents the industrial-age mindset generation.

Attribute 2: Internet is better than TV Second attribute is the Internet is better than TV. The information-age mindset is more focused on interactivity and sees the TV as a passive environment. It does not need the basic pre-requisite of constant connectivity. Frand (2000) states that the Internet provides not only a wealth of information, both good and bad, but also the opportunity for e-mail, chats and bulletin board discussions. More information-age mindset read their news online than in a newspaper or watch the 6:00 news broadcast.

Attribute 3: Reality is no longer real The third attribute, Reality is no longer real, highlights the fact that we have entered an era of data manipulation where any graphic or image can be altered with a few keystrokes. It is incredibly easy to copy, paste and manipulate any object. The information-age mindset knows both the good and bad side of data manipulation. User authentication is part of their vocabulary.

Attribute 4: Doing rather than knowing. The final observation about change deals with the notion of doing rather than knowing. In the industrial-age mindset, "knowledge was viewed as a product, a body of facts accumulated" (Frand, 2000, p. 17). Today's information-age mindset generation is more concerned with dealing with ambiguous and complex information that has a relatively short life span. Being able to search, create and manipulate information to generate knowledge is more important than the acquisition of knowledge.

Category II: How People Do Things

The second category focuses on how people do things.

Attribute 5: Nintendo Logic The first attribute in this category addresses the notion of Nintendo Logic. The information-age mindset generation embodies the Nike's logo of "Just Do it". The rule is that "the key to winning Nintendo is the persistent trial and error to discover the hidden doors" (Frand, 2000, p.17). Reading the manual is not considered an option for the information-age mindset generation.

Attribute 6: Multitasking Another method of doing things is the information-age mindset generation's talent for multitasking. This generation can listen to music, read their homework online and answer their instant messages all at the same time. Much to the chagrin of parents, the information-age mindset live in a multimedia enhanced world and they have managed to acquire the skill of multitasking.

Attribute 7: Typing rather than handwriting. Another attribute is the information-age mindset would rather engage in typing rather then handwriting. Typing is a skill set that most with an information-age mindset have acquired at a young age. As a matter of fact, thumb typing, used primarily to send text messages on cellular phones or mobile devices are a growing skill that most teenagers are acquiring. In a recent Wall Street Journal (04/17/02) article (In the digital age, all thumbs is term of highest praise), Geoffrey A. Fowler states the following: "Using one's thumbs in certain capacities is becoming vogue among teenagers, young adults, and businesspeople thanks to handheld devices with miniaturized keyboards. British culture and technology researcher Sadie Plant notes in a cross-cultural study that technology is having an impact on the thumb, making it stronger and more nimble. Thumb users must learn to use the tip of the thumb, otherwise they could hit more than one key at once, a phenomenon known as "splat." Thumbs began to overshadow index fingers in terms of technological interactions in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the advent of joysticks and handheld controls for playing video games. The development of mobile-phone text messaging shortly after made thumb usage common among adults. Ambidextrous thumbs are prevalent among the young and experienced, according to Plant's study." (Fowler, 2002)

Category III: Subliminal Needs Conditioned by the Cyberage

Frand (2000) categorizes the last three attributes as subliminal needs conditioned by the cyberage.

Attribute 8: Staying connected The first need in this category is staying connected. The lives of the information-age mindset generation includes the everyday use of cell phones, PDAs, beepers, e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, chat rooms and asynchronous discussions. They are truly the epitome of the saying "any time any place." According to Frand (2000), they exemplify Metcalfe's Law regarding the value of a network---the greater the critical mass, the more value associated with the network. For this group, ubiquitous connectivity is a given.

Attribute 9: Tolerance for delays The information-age mindset generation has limited tolerance for delays. They live in a world that is truly 24 by 7. Like Tapscott's concept of immediacy, this generation views distance and time with an entirely different lens. Time compression is certainly a factor and is seen in their e-mail behavior (I just want a quick response!).

Attribute 10: Consumer/Creator blurring. The final need relates to the relationship between the information-age mindset and information. There is a blurring of the concept of consumer and creator of information. According to Frand (2000), "there is no distinction between the owner, the creator and the user of information" (p.22). This generation gives new meaning to data manipulation and to "cut & paste" techniques. You can read Frand’s article in full at the following website:

ACTIVITY:

Consider this case study…

Sharon Webber is a 20-year-old student in her junior year of a generic baccalaureate nursing program. Her GPA is 3.5. While reading a paper that she has submitted as part of your course requirements, you recognize that she has copied several paragraphs verbatim from a website that you assigned. There are no quotes or footnotes, but the URL of the website is included in the bibliography. This paper contributes 30% to the Sharon’s final grade.

How would you deal with this? Type your response in the box below.

Consider where your answer would come on the continuum of responses below: Check the appropriate box to place your answer.

You give her a failing grade for plagiarsm.	You deduct a few points and warn her that plagiarsm is not acceptable.	You discuss it with her before taking action. Maybe she was unaware this was not OK.	You belive she did nothing wrong in the first place.

Are you aware that your peers may hold very different views than your own on this matter, including acceptance of this practice?

Let’s assume that you consider what Sharon did to be plagiarism and decide to take further action. You send a message to Sharon, asking her to meet with you. When she arrives, you point out the paragraphs in her paper that are verbatim from the website and ask if she understands that this is considered plagiarism. Sharon shows genuine surprise when she says, "What, are you saying you think I cheated? No way! I only used two or three paragraphs from a really long document that’s on a free website. It was easy to cut and paste the text using my web tools. Most of what is in there is my own opinion. Besides, look here. I referenced the website in my bibliography so you would know the sources I used. I wasn’t trying to hide anything. Honest, I would never cheat!"

How would you respond?

In a recent talk, Merritt (2002) confirmed many of the same attributes mentioned by previous authors.

Merritt referred to the 75 + million youth of today as the "Y generation." Merritt (2002) reiterated that this generation are doers, tremendous consumers, and technology veterans. In support of the technology veteran status, he mentioned several marketing research firms who have confirmed that this generation is comfortable in the use of technology and have thoroughly integrated it into their lives. He gave the example that it is predicted that by 2005, 70% of this generation will own wireless phones. Yankee Group Research is cited at:

His data on computer and Internet usage is further corroborated by recent studies conducted by Harris Interactive and a joint study conducted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Economic and Statistics Administration of the Department of Commerce (Victory & Cooper, February, 2002). The latter study, A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet confirms that children, above all other age groups, have embraced computers and the internet as a daily part of their lives.

The study confirms "the pattern of Internet usage has become integrated into daily routines, which involve school, entertainment, communication and play" (Victory & Cooper, February 2002, p. 59). In addition, Merritt (2002) highlights two other characteristics not previously mentioned. The first is their relationship with their parents. There is a strong influence and bond between the Y generation and their parents. The second is the diversity of this generation. According to Merritt (2002), the Y generation is sensitive to the issue of diversity and how society will embrace and foster this diversity.

NET GENERATION CHARACTERISTICS REVIEW

Therefore, based on the corroborative evidence, the Net generation is one that is signified by the following characteristics:

First and foremost, the Net generation does not consider computers, any digital devices such as cameras, PDAs or other sundry wireless devices as TECHNOLOGY. This is a striking contrast from the over 40-year-old generation who view everything as technology (complicated technologies) including the near-extinct VCR.

Second, connectivity and interactivity are two key elements in the way they learn, play and communicate. These elements are integral to the way they live their lives. The Net generation lives in the anytime, anyplace world of 24 by 7 by 365 (i.e. a global orientation). They need to be connected and need to interact with their world by communicating, searching for information, discovering knowledge and inter-mingling the worlds of play and school. They are "do-ers" with a bias toward action. It is the Nintendo Logic that drives their need to interact.

ACTIVITY:

Consider how important it is for you to "stay connected" throughout your typical day.

How many communication devices do you use on a regular basis?

Device	YES	NO
Cell phone
PDA
Pager/beeper
Two-way radio/walkie talkie

The next time you are walking along in a crowded area take note of how many people are using cell phones. How old are they? Do you think they are using them for business or personal reasons?

• Have you ever lost your favorite device or had its battery go dead?
• How did it affect your day? Your work?
• Would you be "lost" without it?
• Do you use these devices to communicate with your students?
• If so, what are the consequences of the loss of this type of communication?

Let’s continue with the characteristics of the Net generation.

Third, they are multi-taskers. They are not distracted by multimedia. They truly can listen to music, read a homework assignment online, send an IM and answer their mother's question, all simultaneously. As many have said, they have the attention span of a gnat.

Fourth, they live in an immediate world and have little tolerance for delays. Their expectations and need for immediate responses far exceed our needs as adults. They want a short quick response on e-mail and cannot understand why it takes so long…after all isn’t everyone hard-wired like they are?

Fifth, their sense of reality and the blurring of owner, creator and user of information are important factors in their digital view of the world. Their reality may include multiple identities and accessible information is theirs for the taking. They are certainly more comfortable in the reality of virtual life.

Sixth, their method of learning is based on knowledge construction rather than instruction. They are active learners, creating their knowledge by interacting and participating. They are not listeners but are communicators. They learn through experimentation and by collaborating with others. They do not use linear learning as they are products of the hypermedia generation. They epitomize lifelong learners.

And above all they are comfortable with change and the uncertainty that characterizes their change-driven world.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSE EDUCATORS

So given this information about our potential customers, what implications does this have on nursing education and practice. Perhaps Tapscott (1998) best says it in the following quote

"We need to pay attention to the culture which flows from the N-Geners' experiences with technology as it predicts the future citizens, learners, workers and leaders of tomorrow"
(p. 55)

Become more comfortable with technology

To start, educators need to become more comfortable with technology and learn how to incorporate technology into their teaching. Most educators are from the industrial-age when computers were considered complex, difficult tools that were not part of our standard teaching repertoire. Taking online courses and experiencing the N-Geners world is a good beginning to understand their culture of connectivity and interactivity. John Seely Brown and associates at Xerox Parc hired adolescents to help them create the office workspace of the future. This cutting edge proposition provided them with a host of innovative ideas. Perhaps we need to bring our adolescents into nursing school and ask them what they would do differently.

ACTIVITY:

Consider the suggestion of inviting adolescents to examine your nursing program and share innovative ideas. Do you believe this would be a meaningful pursuit? Would your faculty and administration be receptive to this approach for exploring change?

Type your answers below:

Rethink teaching-learning methods

A second step is to begin to rethink our teaching-learning methods. We do not need to make subtle changes, we need transformational changes. As educators we need to shift to a learner-centric model as suggested by (Tapscott, 1998.; Tapscott, 1999). This model will allow N-Geners to be full, active participants in the learning process. As educators we need to shift from the broadcast model (lecturing and focusing on facts) to a model that promotes knowledge construction and discovery (Brown, 2000). Establishing communities of practices is one method suggested by Brown (2000) to accommodate the N-Geners. We need to rethink our academic requirements and our measures of performance. Educators need to engage N-Geners in a highly interactive and connected learning environment. Educators need to foster collaborative learning and learn how to be the coach or guide rather than a sole disseminator of knowledge. As educators we need to recognize that multitasking is a reality and students are capable of learning in this multitasking process. We will need to design strategies to deal with the immediacy factor. As educators, we will have to find coping strategies to live in our change-driven world.

Seek a balance to meet needs of N-Geners and students of other generations

Now here's the challenge that Stephen Merritt (2002) posed and it will serve to further complicate this transformation of nursing education. He poses that nurse educators must seek a balance to meet the challenges of both the N-Geners and the equally growing number of non-traditional students who are returning to nursing school. Merritt (2002) provides excellent suggestions on meeting both the academic and administrative challenges for both groups of students. It is interesting to note that he still advocates for the transformation of nursing education and customizing educational opportunities. There is no doubt that he believes higher education can meet these challenges and that nursing education is also ready for the challenge

To take these steps to transform, nursing education will require individual faculty to serve as catalysts in their schools of nursing and guide other faculty on this journey. Nursing leaders, particularly educational administrators, need to step up to the challenge. They need to support the faculty catalysts and provide forums for healthy dialogues. Professional organizations, such as the National League for Nursing, need to support and nurture these pioneers. We, as a profession, need to create a critical mass of educators who are willing to transform nursing education.

ACTIVITY:

Click on the button below to visit netheadkids.com.

What do you think of the opening screen? Would it appeal to older generations? Click through a few of the activities.

Next, click on the button below to go to another website called netheadSeniors.com.

How is this page different?

Think about how you might present learning activities on a web page to appeal to students who span several generations.

I would recommend reading the following books and articles as a beginning. Share them with your colleagues and begin to integrate some of their ideas in your classes. In addition to Tapscott's (1998) book on Growing up Digital, I would also read Tapscott's (1999) article in Educational Leadership. I would also recommend Jamie McKenzie's (1999) article on Grazing the Net: Raising a Generation of Free Range Students. Although it is not focused on higher education, it is an insightful article with many suggestions for transformational teaching strategies. I would also suggest John Seely Brown's (2000) article that presents a model using the web as a community of practices. And for good measure I would read John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid's (2000) book on The Social Life of Information. It will help transform the way you think about information.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

But our work is not yet done as we also need to rethink our nursing practice. Unless you are within 5 years of retirement, you will be encountering the Net generation in your nursing practice. It will not matter if you are in a hospital, in a clinic or in the community, these 70 million customers will be at your door before your know it. As you can see from their characteristics, it will be a group of empowered consumers who will give new meaning to word, empower. Again, remember this is a group who embraces technology. It believes that health care, like education, is in the dark ages when it comes to technological usage.

In case you are not convinced that this is an equally important area for nurses to address, check out the audio-cast provided on the MSN.COM web site with a series of physicians talking about the Net Generation and their use of the Internet. You can listen to experts discussing the pros and cons of our health-information age by clicking on the button below.

A recent article by Debra Cascardo (2002) is an excellent synopsis of what the Net Geners will be like as patients. Her article talks about getting ready for the new generation of savvy patients. Here is what she says to expect from this Gen Y patient population.

(Note: If you choose to go to Medscape and read the Cascardo article, you will be prompted to register. Registration only takes a few minutes and there is no charge to register.)

These patients will

1. Be very involved in their health and well being
2. Assume their physicians are using the latest diagnostic and treatment tools
3. Expect attention and will not tolerate being rushed through a visit
4. Bring detailed notes with them
5. Research their symptoms and have questions
6. Know or demand to know their options
7. Expect expanded hours to accommodate their schedules
8. Expect continual on-line availability

ACTIVITY:

Cascardo has identified expectations of N-Geners that reflect the Net generation themes of Interactivity, Connectivity, Knowledge Construction, and Immediacy . Match Cascardo's expectations to the appropriate themes. If you choose the wrong box, click on the Reset Checkbox button.

CASCARDO EXPECTATIONS	N-GENER THEMES:
	Interactivity	Connectivity	Immediacy	Knowledge Construction
Involved in their health and well being
Assume providers use latest tools
Expect attention, intolerant of rushing
Bring detailed notes with them
Research symptoms, have questions
Know or demand options
Expect expanded hours
Expect continual online availability

Click below to see our comparison:

Cascardo (2002) also outlined what your Gen Y patient will want to know and suggested you might want to maintain an interactive Web site that demonstrates your technological savvy. This interactive web site should contain the following features:

• Links to recommended medical information and healthcare sites
• Ability to securely email and respond to general, non-urgent questions
• Ability to schedule appointments online
• Ability to securely access lab reports and medical records
• Cascardo (2002)

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There is no doubt in her mind that these Net savvy patients are only a few years away from knocking on your clinic doors.

ACTIVITY:

Consider what your educational program teaches students about the characteristics and expectations of patients. Are your students ready to meet the needs of N-Geners? What learning experiences would assist your students to prepare for this generation of healthcare consumers?

Type your thoughts below:

In our ever-changing world, we are faced with many challenges. In nursing education and practice, we are facing one of the biggest challenges - how to transform nursing education and practice for the N-Geners. We as a profession can no longer tweak and make minor changes, we need to make transformational changes. As Tim Porter-O'Grady (2001) has suggested, "It is only in the demise of the industrial models of nursing work where space will be made for the emerging requirements of a new practice arena." I would concur and take it a step farther to suggest that nursing education needs to sever its ties with an industrial broadcast model of teaching.

The author of this chapter has called for the transformation of nursing education. Consider what you could do to contribute to this transformation

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