Abstract
This paper analyzes and discusses the future challenges, which tertiary educational institutions may foresee to face when the traditional organizational forms and norms of the industrial society meet the first generations of students who have lived their whole life with IT, Internet and the ever changing norms and demands of the unfolding information society. In order to analyze the premises for these future challenges from both students and the educational institutions perspective, the paper addresses
- The near future students who are right now in the primary school, where they are called 'the power users' or 'the game generation'.
- The present organizations having to adapt to the future needs and demands.
Thus, a key to gain insight into the future students and the nature of the encounter is research aimed at the present primary school. Additionally a key to the organizational perspective is identification of organizational readiness for change and the potential barriers for adaptation to the information society and 'the power user / game generation'.
Based on the analysis, the paper comprises an outline of institutional obstacles towards a successful encounter between the educational system and the future ICT 'power users' and argues the necessity of integrating top-down and bottom-up initiatives in future organizations. Thus, the process of change demands awareness and support from both the authorities empowered to make grants and from the management of the educational organizations, and the paper explicitly focus on collaborating teaching staffs as a tool for improving both individual and organizational adaptability.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 5th European conference on e-learning |
| Editors | Dan Remenyi, Mike Hart |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Publication date | 2007 |
| Pages | 407-414 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-1-905305-31-5 cd |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |