Clermont

So, it turns out the Lake County School District is doing EXACTLY what I’m trying to research.

The school district got a grant a couple years ago called Enhancing Education Through Technology. Some students put together this great podcast that talks about how you can learn anywhere and anyway.

Gave the school a call and talked to Kathy Halbig who is listed as the manager of Innovative Learning for Lake County Schools. Spoke to her on the phone for a bit and told her about the research we are doing and she was thrilled by the idea of getting the school and students involved. Looks like what we are doing is right up their alley.

This also got me thinking about how all this technology is creating a huge generational gap between the elders and their youngsters.

Donald Tapscott, a well-known author on the Net Generation, has said this is the first time the younger generation is getting ahead of the older generation, creating a generational lap as he calls it.

So I thought, is there anything that can be done to close this gap?

Turns out there is a retirement community called Summerville at Oak Park in Clermont that has a program called “Gapping the Generations”. Could it not be a more appropriate program?

It could be really interesting to see how these teens “unplug” themselves (sort of speak) to connect to a generation being lapped by the younger crowd.

Trying to get in touch with the program director there, looks like I missed her for the day. But tomorrow is always a new day to make those phone calls.

This is me.

Just wanted to take a minute to tell you a little bit about me, and why I’m going to Clermont, FL on June 8th to June 20th.

My name is Racquel Asa. I’m a graduate student at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication. This summer I, and 10 other classmates, are working and reporting for the Carnegie-Knight Foundations news initiative called News21. Syracuse University is one of 12 colleges selected to participate in this program.

So this summer, News21 is paying me and several other students to report on you. Syracuse University in particular was assigned the topic of youth and technology

I’ll be going to Clermont, FL with another News21 fellow, Courtnee Lowe

We want to get to the heart of how technology is changing the lives of teenagers, how they are using it and what kind of opportunities there are to reach them and for them to reach out to others. Appropriately our website will be called “The Young and the Wireless”.

What a great topic to report on especially as the news industry tries to grapple with what is the next medium and model to keep the practice of journalism alive.

But the topic needs moving stories from you that really illustrate how technology is giving opportunity, enhancing relationships; but leaving behind the many that don’t have the technology to keep up.

Do you have a story? Tell me about it!This is my News21 parner.

Racquel Asa

rgasa@syr.edu

Posts to come!

If you live in the Cleromont, FL and have a great story to share about how you use any form of technology with your kids or grandkids, let us know!