What digital natives want from their library

Abbey is a 3 year old digital native. This is what she wants from her library. Abbey's video launches the 15th Biennial VALA Conference and Exhibition in Melbourne Australia. http://www.vala.org.au #VALA2010

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Digital
• Native
• Libraries
• VALA
• Technology
• Information
• Web.20
• Semantic
• Web
• #VALA2010
• Technologies
• conference
• speakers
• delegates
• exhibition
• library

[tiiraliira]

Uneasy feeling watching this - it is as "cute" as the adult mimicry of little kids in child beauty pageants. And what was the intent in replacing her (3yr old) "voice" with someone elses (older) opinion?

[VALATV]

This is actually Abbey's voice, she sat in front of the camera and said these things. While Abbey was following a script, she really does like libraries (and books and story time). Actually, she willingly gave up an afternoon playing with friends on the beach to go to the library and make this short film.

[cruelcadaver]

I thought it was a great display of our having moved into the into the digital era of the information age. Abbey was surprisingly clear which suggests that even if she does not understand the terms, she has probably heard them. Using Abbey did well to illustrate looking into the future by using the present rather than the past. Adults are too busy acting. Interesting to see how a small child can convey the same message more clearly.

[ksimon47]

Watching a little kid coached to slur out this script line-by-line is disturbing. And the concept of digital natives is flawed, simplistic, and a disservice to young people. More and more librarians & educators are coming out to say that this generational stereotyping leads us to act on assumptions that don't reflect reality. We need to assess learning needs, not guess at them.

[Krthesht]

Cool. I wonder if my kids will be asking me to buy them something I heard of but don't even know yet what it is)

I like the video, IMO it really shows what a digital native is, and why we adults should care about keeping up with informational needs of our next generation. Children love to learn new things, when they are not discouraged, and also they like learning (and just playing) in new ways. The technologies she mentions have great teaching potential, if used wisely.

[Krthesht]

@jstech84 It's parents and teachers who should learn to bring their requests to children in mature fashion. The first way we learn things in our life - is by imitating people around us. If the child is being ordered all the time, he/she may get the habit of talking in a demanding tone.

Besides, it is not an order here. It is impatience. (A very natural thing at such age, if someone forgot it ;-) )

[minecraftaren123]

I HATE THAT SONG!!!!!



[lebasson]

@tiiraliira agreed. This is absolutely creepy. It's not about if Abby minded uttering those words but whether she understands their extent. *shudders*

[joeydim1]

in response to all of the complaints, this was plain cute. and your responses actually underscore what is being said here. Whether librarians like it or not, they WILL have to move ahead with the digital age, otherwise these next generations will find what they need from alternative digital sources such as Google, etc. Fight if you wish, but you will lose.

[jstech84]

I have to agree that this was weird. Honestly, I don't need to watch some child demanding that I hurry up and give her something. It would have been much more effective to use an older elementary student. Not to mention - VALA - don't write in text that commands teachers and parents to do something. It will not meet with a kind reaction or motivate them to do anything. Children are not our bosses, they need to be taught to bring their requests in a mature fashion.

[EightAlek]

How about... we just let kids be kids.

Shitty adults.

[MrEmpyers]

erk, concur with ksimon47. just because it's a 3 year old saying the words doesn't change the fact that an adult - presumably a 'non-digital' at has written them, and therefore this whole piece is a kinda freaky work of fiction. if we're so interested in digital natives, why don't we allow them to tell us what they want instead of putting words in their mouths?

[fabioyabu]

Amazing how some people are taking this seriously and spreading this video as a portrait of a generation.

Did we demand for more oxygen or access to sunlight or even electricity or color TV when we were 3? Because the internet is the very same thing for them.

IMHO, a 3 yr kid does not want augmented reality. All she wants is a good story, about princesses, unicorns and fairy tales, REGARDLESS the media. We can do great books on iPads, iPhones, Kindle or paper.