Has the information behavior of children and youth changed significantly over the last two decades? The Information Behavior of a New Generation: Children and Teens in the 21st Century attempts to answer this question from a variety of viewpoints. Thirteen researchers from educational psychology, computer science, education, and information studies have contributed to eleven chapters on models of information behavior, the cognitive development of youth, information literacy, everyday information behavior, cyber-bullying, gaming in virtual environments, learning labs, social networks, intellectual disabilities, and current and future systems. Whether they are referred to as digital natives, the Google-generation, or generation M, today's youth are active consumers and avid producers of digital information. Smart phones are the new generation's communication tools, social networks are their interaction venues, and virtual environments are their new playgrounds. This new digital communication era has prompted researchers from a variety of disciplines to contribute to this book on the information behavior of children and teens. One of the many conclusions that may be drawn from the chapters in the book is that information behavior is a multifaceted phenomenon, evolving alongside the rapid developments in information and communication technologies. The new generation tends to multitask, managing many activities simultaneously, such as scanning for and skimming information, texting brief messages, and posting audio and visual information on social media. While children and teens are tech savvy, they lack certain information and media literacy skills essential in today's digital environment. For researchers, the authors pose questions for further investigation in the hope that innovative services will be offered and novel systems will be developed to help the new generation. For teachers and information professionals, the authors provide a broad background to assist them with a more in-depth and thorough understanding and appreciation of children's and teens' information behavior.
About the Author: Jamshid Beheshti, PhD, is an associate professor in the School of Information Studies at McGill University, where he was the Director of the School for six years. He was also appointed as the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education, and the Interim Dean of the Faculty. Dr. Beheshti is the principal investigator on a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada grant on Virtual Environments as an Intervention Agent in the Information-Seeking Process of School Students. His areas of expertise are children-computer interaction, and information behaviour. Andrew Large is CN-Pratt-Grinstad Professor of Information Studies in the School of Information Studies at McGill University, and currently Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Students) in its Faculty of Education. His research interests lie in the areas of information retrieval, interface design and usability, especially in the context of children as users. He has published and spoken widely on these and other research themes, and is co-editor of the quarterly journal, Education for Information.