What Does the Net Generation Expect From Us?

Whether we call them Millennials, Net Geners, or simply "our students," today's 18-to-22 year-olds have one thing in common: they all grew up with and became users of advanced technologies at a much earlier age than did we IT practitioners. Technology (or rather, the use of technology) has become a core, if not defining, part of their lives.

Today's Net Generation students bring with them a new set of expectations, skills, and beliefs that are both exciting and challenging. As we in higher education continue to make substantial investments in media-rich classrooms, wireless networks, portals, and online courses, do we really understand what our students need and expect? Are they drifting away from the institutional IT mainstream through their selection and use of personal technologies?

Joel Hartman and Greg Roberts will reflect on these and other questions from their perspectives as a CIO and a Net Gen student. Their comments will be drawn in part from the new EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) e-book, Educating the Net Generation.