Teaching Generation M: A Handbook for Librarians and Educators

by American Library Association, Robert J. Lackie

Overview

Working with and devising quality educational resources for "Generation M"--today's group of teens and young adults born in the early 1980s through the mid 1990s--can be a challenge.
You'll find a comprehensive introduction and overview of Gen M, including key term definitions, background information, and a clear idea of the scope of issues facing educators charged with teaching and working with this age group. The authors cover popular online tools like Facebook Wikipedia, YouTube, and Google, many of which play a large role in Gen M information retrieval, and also address key educational theories and provide instruction for creating lessons and learning objects that can be used in both traditional and online educational environments. Examples of current best practices are provided, along with corresponding instruction for designing and implementing them in your library or classroom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781555706678
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	06/05/2012
Pages:	388
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

Editorial Reviews

This collection of essays by 28 contributors aims to help educators better serve the current generation of students, who have grown up with social media, text messaging, and the ubiquity of the Internet as an information source. The authors focus not only on the information-seeking behaviors of these students (born between the early 1980s and mid-to-late 1990s) but also on teaching strategies for librarians and educators who may not yet have learned to incorporate newer media in their regular instruction. Part 1 defines Generation M, emphasizing that this tech-savvy group isn't as adept at making the best use of technology as many might assume. Part 2 covers social-networking sites, YouTube, Google and Wikipedia, gaming, and webcomics, discussing the impact of these media on the ways students are accustomed to learning. Part 3 expands upon the pedagogical implications of these media for the future. VERDICT School and academic librarians—particularly those who feel lost in or unsure about the rapidly changing landscape of social media and interactive technology—will find this an elucidating and even comforting book that provides practical strategies and a philosophical basis for embracing the world of "generation M."—Rachel Q. Davis, Thomas Memorial Lib., Cape Elizabeth, ME

Library Journal

Through 20 chapters that include literature reviews, research summaries, best practices, and how-to articles, librarians and educators can gain a better understanding of the net generation and their information and educational needs. The editors include gaming, online learning, mobile technologies, Web 2.0 technologies, and the information-search process. It is interesting to note that while some of the authors mention such terms as "net native," neither the popular term "digital native" nor its originator, Mark Prensky (who has written extensively on how digital natives learn), appears in the index. Nevertheless, the book is an excellent addition to professional collections and should be required reading for high school and college librarians who serve today's high-tech young adults, particularly since many practicing librarians are digital immigrants and are not part of the net generation. This text will help them speak the language and provide meaningful and relevant experiences for young adults. The book should be mandatory reading for pre-service librarians and educators who will impact the young adults with whom they will come into contact.—Angela Washington-Blair, Emmett J. Conrad High School, Dallas, TX

School Library Journal