Exposition-+Kenneth




 * "New technologies have created a situation rather unknown in human history wherein the young seem more knowledgeable than those older than them." (2007 EOY Exam)**

In the turn of the contemporary 21st Century, a digital phenomenon exploded into widespread international use, with new technologies employed in modern applications more than ever in the history in Mankind. This has led to a situation where the young generation seem more knowledgeable than those older than them, and I believe this is the case to a large extent.

As the advent of these new technologies invades the world, the young have a desire to learn these new technologies, and they are inherently more receptive to these new concepts than the older generation. In this burgeoning society where literally everything requires the use of technology, it is impossible not to adapt to this switch in doing things. New technologies play major roles in current society, ranging from work, communications, to research and leisure activities. They serve to enhance the living standards and lives of Man. Also, the young generation wish to be cool, 'hip' and keep in line constantly with the contemporary trend, which involved heavy usage of technologies; resulting in a strong desire to learn these new skills in utilising new technologies and be able to use them dexterously. Examples of these technologies would include the multi-touch interface technology popularized by Apple in their pet product, iPhone; which has captured the minds of millions around the world, many of them in the young generation. Furthermore, the young generation better comprehends the urgent need for technology to be omnipresent in our daily lives, and that they would be literally helpless in the dark without technology (e.g. Internet). They are unaware of past old-fashioned ways of doing work, such as using typewriters, writing, using thick files to store data etc.; hence they are more accepting towards new technologies crucial in enhancing the quality of their lives than the older generation. Henceforth, this led to a situation where the young seem more knowledgeable about new technologies than the older generation.

Moreover, the young generation is more exposed to new technologies which are also integrated in education systems for discovery-based learning. The ubiquitous spread of new technologies make it inevitable for youths to utilize contemporary technology effectively to suit their own needs, whereas the older generation can suffice with a lesser aptitude towards technology since the need for technology in their lives is considerably less than that of the young generation. Many educators and education systems worldwide employ the use of new technologies as teaching and education aids (e.g. hardware such as multimedia touchboards, laptops, iPhones; software such as Wikispace, Bubbl.us, Wetpaint, message boards, learning portals etc.) Such technologies bring about innovative and new ways to introduce knowledge and information to children and the young. Students and hence the young generation, recognize the need for new technology to be implemented in education so as to enhance the learning process and inculcate interest in youths towards education through technology such as Web 2.0. This inevitably creates a desire in the young to accept this new technology and learn how to use it well.

Lastly, new technologies recently conceived are completely alien and complex to most older generations, creating apprehension and rigidity in mindsets which prevent them from adapting to the new technology smoothly. As these new technologies are mostly non-existent in the past, the older generation is incredibly alienated by the sudden advent of new technology, and hence develops a general unaccepting stance towards it. Being more accustomed to old-fashioned ways, they find it difficult to adapt to totally new concepts even if they enhance their lives. "It took Mankind almost 1 century to develop the wheel, but 50 years from the wheel to the space shuttle." This elucidates how quick and sudden new technologies have arose around us, and the older generation is more unreceptive towards it than the young as they are used to their own conventional methods (e.g. Communications: Letters to Emails, SMSes, Video Calls; Work: Hand-written, Typewriters to Laptops, Desktops etc.). Therefore, the older generation is less inclined to learning new technologies than the young.