Maximise your potential – use the technology available!

 Wally Bock in his Three Star Leadership Blog posted about young people helping him with a house move. It’s a great story in itself but I loved his observation

 Young people are technologically-savvy in the way that fish are water- savvy!

I spent this afternoon working with young people exploring the uses for social networking in the wider world. I have been learning fast since I started working with them. Their research is current, fast moving and relevant.

When we were brainstorming this afternoon I got to use a smartboard for the first time  – which was really cool. They smiled indulgently as I explored what it could do. At that point I reminded them that I come across adults all the time who have not the first clue that this technology exists never mind how they might use it.

We were talking about social networking and what that includes. They live and breathe social networking. It is how they do things. Their teacher mentioned that soon the school will have access to a broad education-based social networking system ( though it won’t be called that ) which allows all sorts of interaction to promote and assist , for example, working in teams, research projects and will impact in all manner of areas of education. The possibilities are endless.

And I learned that one of the young people had been into our wiki and quietly changed spelling mistakes in the posts and documents. What a great example of using your own knowledge for the benefit of the wider group.

Wally reminds us of Peter Drucker ’s definition of “knowledge applied to useful work”.

I have read loads about the problems of social networking but this generation of young people don’t know of a time without it – just like I have not lived in a time without TV.

So if you are technologically – unsavvy ( I think both of those words are made up!) ask a younger person to explain to you the benefits….see what happens.