This is a time when lines are blurred and stress levels are high. Finding one's true self, gauging their abilities, and how they will use them in the real world. In this stage some may realize that, even though they are born digital natives, they do not possess the skills in the digital world to pursue a career in it. There are always varying levels of skill, in this group they might be at the bottom, but the top in another.
Chapter 8: "When combined with broader studies of young people's use of technology, our review of students’ scholarly information-seeking behavior shows that despite near-ubiquitous use of the Internet for information seeking and communication, students are challenged by scholarly information seeking at university."
Though it is easy to just Google the answer, it is harder to search through scholarly articles. One of the struggles is that a specific search engine is required for these articles and it may not be as well developed as something like Google. The background knowledge needed to go through these articles also plays a key role in finding the information the student is seeking. It starts takes a lot more effort for students to find the information which is frustrating when they are so use to being able to find the answer instantly.
Chapter 9 : "Participation is in many ways considered to be a democratic issue, meaning that it is a human right to be able to express opinions and become actively involved in society."
This concept is the basis for our nation. So we believe it to be a human right in our society, but it may be viewed differently by other groups.That being said I do think that it a human right to have a persons opinions and views expressed and heard. This goes back to the chapter about the Japanese students using the internet for self-expression and voicing their thoughts. Just like any good relationship it is good for all points of views to be heard and explored. Having an open mind and good discussions are key for the government and general public relationship.
Right now there isn't a large focus on developing digital literacy. It is almost assumed that digital natives already have the skills needed in this area. So one does not simply digital media, like all other skills it is learned and not everyone has such an easy time learning this skill. For now it is not a large role in formal schooling, but hopefully it will have a presence in the future.
Sean, I agree with your comment, "One of the struggles is that a specific search engine is required for these articles and it may not be as well developed as something like Google." I have found it challenging myself to find exactly the article and/or study I need to address something when I use databases. You have to be very specific and often know the title of the study, or something very close to it. It's especially hard when you don't know exactly what you're looking for! Using Google is so much easier, if you know how to use it correctly, so I understand completely why so many college students use it. Wikipedia isn't exactly reliable, but it does have a LOT of information, and it may give students ideas about what to search next. I guess the key for teachers is to help the kids understand how to do effective and reliable searches.
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