HYDERABAD: Pen and paper are passé as an increasing number of
students
from Class 7 to Class 12 in Hyderabad are turning to worldwide web to do homework. These are the findings of ‘GenZ Survey, 2016-17’ conducted by Tata Consultancy Services recently. The study maps digital habits of city teens, deduces that 78% of those surveyed seek assistance from online mediums to complete school assignments. The ‘old school’ teenager poring over fat ‘guides’ and reference books, is clearly in the minority.
But use of digital tools — smartphones and laptops — aren’t limited to solving a few math problems or tricky science equations. City’s GenZ is also making career decisions through ‘virtual’ discoveries. What tops the list are entrepreneurship, engineering and technology.
“Success stories floating on
Internet
draw students to take up entrepreneurship as a career option. Even the Telangana government is promoting this by creating awareness among students on how it’s not just about being employed, but also about being able to create employment,” said Sujeev Nair, chief executive officer, Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge.
Standing testimony to this is a list of people that students follow on social media platforms. The survey reveals personalities such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Sundar Pichai are most popular among Hyderabad’s youth.
“Our survey reveals that Gen Z of Hyderabad are highly connected, socially engaged and digitally influenced. Digital technology is redefining the way young Indians connect, pursue hobbies and accesses information through gadgets and apps,” said V Rajanna, vice-president and global head, technology business at TCS.
However, not all agree that internet penetration has had a positive impact on academic life of students. On the contrary, parents and educationalists argue that indiscriminate use and easy access of the Net has reduced sharpness among students. “Once children are addicted to Net and gadgets, it is very difficult to wean them away. Unfortunately, even schools encourage children to use this medium,” said Rama Melkote, a parent.
Several school principals agreed over-exposure to digital tools trigger a drop in quality of academic performance. “Several students lose concentration level due to over-exposure to internet or gadgets. Reading habits among children too take a backseat as they turn to the content on internet,” said Madhavi Chandra, principal of Gitanjali Devshala.
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