Ofer Zur, Azzia Zur

Older - Digital Immigrants	Younger - Digital Natives
Prefer to talk on phone or in person	Prefer to connect via text, chat, Facebook, online games, etc.
Do not use text or use it sparingly and reluctantly	Text more than call: Almost half of all teens can text with their eyes closed
Prefer synchronistic communication, in real time, such as in f2f or phone conversations	Prefer a-synchronistic or sequential communication, such as in email, Facebook, or chat
Accustomed to and prefer instructional manuals with clear sequential steps. As "reflective learners" they like a logical and linear process of discovery	Cannot relate to manuals - Solve problems "intuitively." As "intuitive learners" they are engaged in rapid 'trail and error' actions and prefer discovering via actions, experimentation and interaction rather than by reflection
Prefer receiving information slowly: linearly, logically, and sequentially	Prefer receiving information quickly and simultaneously from multiple multimedia and other sources
Prefer singular processing and single or limited tasking	Prefer parallel processing, multitasking or task switching
Prefer reading text (i.e., books) on processing pictures, sounds and video	Prefer processing and interacting with pictures, graphics, sounds and video before text
Inclined to read a book from cover to cover	Inclined to read texts in short bursts, one paragraph at a time, hopping to other activities, such as texting or Facebooking, in between paragraphs
See high value in deferred gratification and rewards	Prefer instant gratification and rewards, do not see value in waiting
Hierarchical approach to workplace rather than a democratic or egalitarian one	View the workplace more in egalitarian terms and less in hierarchical (top-down) terms
Rely on a traditional 5-day work week, followed by an off-work weekend	Work intermittently 7 days a week; alternate among play, work, socializing, etc. 24/7. No "end" to the week - continuous flow, natural rhythm
Assume they will work their way up the ladder in the workplace, in a linear fashion, in one career with one company, leading to a 'gold watch,' retirement and pension	Try many careers during the lifetime and switch workplaces and work settings fairly easily and fluently. Stability, security, and pension are not highly valued as variety, experience and experimentation, which natives see as essential to vocational satisfaction (Theme - experiment rather than consider)
Value loyalty and consistency in the workplace	Are more concerned with personal satisfaction - self is focus rather than company. May change jobs often as they develop personally, add to skill set and change areas of interest
Prefer central brick and mortar work place, distrust telecommuting, need to control when and where people work	Prefer telecommuting and flexible hours, opportunity to make up work remotely, i.e., from a café on a weekend or while on vacation
Exclusive focus on work-related matters during work hours	Prefer to switch focus and alternate among work, play, social networking, etc., and are more productive and happy working this way
Hang out in person, clubs, dinners, etc.	Hang out both online (Facebook, texting) and also offline (concerts, parties)
Value 'proper' English	Use texting and instant message shorthand: cu tomorrow; luv ya, r u going to the game?
Tell friends about a trip on the phone, or with an in-person conversation or at-home slideshow	Tell friends about a trip by posting pictures on Facebook (visual versus verbal or text stories)
Use the Internet to gather information	Use the Internet to socialize, play, have fun, watch videos, shows, create, etc.
Think of the Internet in passive terms of what they can read, review or learn	View the Internet in terms of interaction and participation rather than as passive or one-directional
Think young people waste their lives online	Many aspects of life are happening only online
Think of the Internet and virtual world as not part of "real life"	Internet is as real, and often more pleasurable and tangible, than offline life
One task or pleasure at a time	Like multitasking and task switching. Prefer several tasks or recreation activities at a time: Watch a show, socialize, text, study, play, etc.
Value privacy and limit self-disclosure to small circle of friends, if even that	Put highly personal information on social networking sites, where they may have hundreds or even thousands of friends who can view. Also put personal videos on YouTube - not afraid to be known, not especially concerned with privacy
Prefer more knowledge and "just-in-case" approach	Prefer to learn "just-in-time" and what is minimally necessary
Learning is a necessity and is often unavoidable drudgery	Learning should be fun and knowledge is often acquired via fun activities, such as gaming, surfing the web or social networking.
Get their news via traditional news sites (New York Times, local papers) or hard copy newspapers	Get their news from friends via Facebook (political discussions on walls), Twitter, political blogs. Traditional news sites are a part of, but not the central piece, of news for this group
Prefer to have 'quality' interaction with one or few people rather that many	Interact/network simultaneously with many, even hundreds of others, as well as with best few friends
Quality interactions can only occur with a tight circle of friends, who have known each other a long time and earned trust	Quality interactions can occur with complete strangers, in public, on Facebook, via Twitter and especially online gaming (some games have millions of players around the world). Natives are constantly meeting each other and getting to know one another, often having never met face to face
Traditional safety concerns: Physical kidnapping, assault, robbery	Safety concerns: Sexting, inappropriate pictures online, cyber stalking, cyber bullying, privacy invasions (hijacking of email accounts, social networking sites