The Net Generation, whose members were born in and after 1982, is the largest generation in U.S. history, surpassing 80 million in number. They arrive on college and university campuses having been consumers of technology in ways that previous generations barely understand, and the challenges that this group of students present is unique.

Connecting to the Net.Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know About Today’s Students is a cultural guide to today’s tech-savvy students. This easy-to-follow guide will help you gain a better understanding of your students, the technology they are using, and how they are using it. Based on the results of the Net Generation Survey, the book provides an overview of some of today’s most popular technologies—blogs, instant messaging, social networking Web sites, and filesharing programs—and looks at how students are using them to communicate and develop a sense of community. The authors compare generational values, and offer specific recommendations for how to better serve Net Generation students in the areas of career planning; academic advising; campus safety; counseling and disability services; parental involvement; and classroom learning.

The Net Generation will be on college and university campuses for some time to come. Understanding how these students use technology to communicate and how it influences their values is the first step in meeting their needs and building community on campus. Connecting to the Net.Generation gives you the tools you need to approach your students and speak their language.

164 pp.

Published by NASPA, 2007

ISBN 0-931654-48-3