Net generation disappearing?

In a recent research the Canadian British Columbia Institute of Technology surveyed a random sample of over 400 students to determine wether these students exhibited the characteristics that have been attributed to this generation by people like Don Taspscott, Marc Prensky, and Neil Howe & William Strauss, and others. Schulmeister opponed already against the lack of empirical evidence for the existence of such a generation.

The research shows that on the characteristics there are hardly significant differences.

The research suggests that generational differences are not the issue. Contextual issues such as the nature of the program are more important considerations when making decisions about the integration of learning technologies.

More research after the cultural contextual aspects, age and other variables will be necessary to generalize these claims.

Is there a net generation or just buzz?

Many books and reports were published, showing the audience that we have a "net generation". This generation has, in the author's view, typical characteristics and is sometimes quite different from the elder generation before.

Tapscott, Prensky, Obliger and others belong to the most wellknown advocates of that net-generation theory.

The German educationalist Rolf Schulmeister doubts the existance of such a generation. In his publication "Gib'ts eine Net Generation? (Is there a net generation?) he points to the fact that there is hardly valid research evidence that underpins the claims from the authors.

Although Schulmeister presents considerable research for his claims, the quality of the research is divers and not fully comparable. It's also difficult for him to avoid the trap of journalistic generalisations and ill defined concepts. That makes it difficult to follow him in his conclusions that the concept of a net generation is just a buzz. He will need more evidence, grounded by solid theories, to throw away the bathtub with the net tubbies in it.