Today’s post comes from Education Speaks editorial board member Christine Geraci.
Last week, we talked about whether or not we should feel guilty about “digitally distracting” our children with mobile devices and educational apps. Today, I’d like to riff off of that a bit and shine the spotlight on the digital prowess of our soon-to-be high school graduates.
Most high school students I encounter have smartphones and tablets, or at least know how to use them. Ever see two teenagers texting or Facebooking one another in the same room? Yeah, I see a lot of that too. Regardless: Knowing your way around mobile technology and social media is definitely a marketable skill for any college- or workforce-bound senior.
But is it going to land a kid a job? According to this study, probably not.
The Millenial Branding and Experience Inc. study, released May 14, shows an overwhelming majority of employers surveyed (as in, more than 92 percent) cite basic communication skills, a positive attitude and teamwork skills as absolutely essential to landing entry-level positions.
A few months ago, I moderated a discussion between residents at a school budget community conversation hosted by one of the school districts in our region. When asked to provide feedback on the district’s overall curriculum, a significant number said they wanted to see more emphasis on building soft skills such as writing and oral communication.
One local business owner sitting at my table said he wanted to hire local high school students, but often refrained because they didn’t look customers in the eye when speaking to them, and wrote in abbreviated ‘text speak.’ In his opinion, this was a direct result of too much exposure to tech gadgets and social media. Although he agreed digital tools have their place in education, basic writing and speaking skills – you know, with regular pencils and actual voices — shouldn’t take a backseat as a result.
What do you think of his opinion?
And based on the results of the Milennial Branding study, how do you think digital technology helps or hinders the building of soft skills employers want in new hires?
I agree with the business owner. Let’s be honest-for the most part, kids are not even grammatically correct in their texts, facebook posts and tweets. The great thing about technology and social networks is how easy they make it for us to connect…but we’re not really “connecting,” hence the lack of eye contact that the business owner mentioned. It saddens me when I see a couple or family dining out and they are not even speaking to each other and they’re playing on their phones.
As a father of two teenage daughters I am keenly aware of the issue. I think it’s too soon for us to judge whether the onslaught of digital communication is going to be a benefit or detriment to teenagers of today. But, I have some points to consider.
This generation is forced to take their ideas and put them down on ‘paper’ (even if it’s digital paper). When I was growing up, 100% of my communication with my friends was verbal and writing papers for school seemed like a chore. My kids can knock out a 500 word essay in no time.
They still attend school in person. They still interact in the classroom, lunch room, on the field of play, etc… And, they still have to look their teachers in the eye during class.
I have been on Facebook for a few years now. Since day one I have been appalled at the grammar used by my peers! People who grew up before the digital age still don’t know the difference between ‘to’ and ‘too’ or ‘there’ and ‘their’. Did we really have an advantage over the current generation using the text abbreviations?
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