Generation Y or "Digital Natives" have known nothing other than a life of instant communication or information at their fingertips. This generation will be heralding integrating technology into their social work practice without the blink of an eye while their mentors and educators struggle with the functions of e-mail or texting.
- 93% of teens ages 12-17 go online, as do 93% of young adults ages 18-29.
- 75% of Gen Y have created a profile on a social networking site.
- 1 in every 5 Gen Y have posted a video of themselves online.
- 41% of Gen Y use only a cell phone and have no landline.
- Over half of YouTube’s users are under 20 years old.
- 53% of the total blogging population is 21-35 years old.
If you are from the silent generation, a baby boomer or from generation X how many of the above statistics apply to you? As a social worker from generation X, I applaud you if you find this blog. How do you teach the foundations of social work with the emerging Web 2.0 needed to function in society? There is no population social work touches that cannot benefit from some type of technology. It is only our biases holding the profession down.
Links to Websites:
Pew Research Center 2010 report, Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next
YouTube via Danny Brown
Sysomos 2010 report via Mashable
Schembri, A. M. (2008). Www.Why-social-workers-need-to-embrace-Web2.0.com.au.
Australian Social Work,
61(2), 119-123. doi:10.1080/03124070801998376
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