Young people, their technology and the fear in schools

This paper is a conversation piece about the failure of schooling to embrace the technology that 21st century young people use as part of their lives. It directs attention to the fears that schools - and probably many adults - have of young people and their technology. It argues that it is not technology that is the issue but the 20th century attitudes of schools, schooling systems and governments. It is this attitude that actually controls schools, their young people and the amount of and manner in which technology is used. It briefly explores young people and their technologies and looks ahead to emerging technologies, but again all within the context that it is not as much about technology as the culture of schools. Technology, through the Internet, enabled the global knowledge economy but schools have not really embraced either. The paper concludes with the possibility that young people empowered by their technology may well rebel against the irrelevance of their schooling and its controlling culture, particularly technology.