Younger Generation Of Students Apparently Aren’t Familiar With Files And Folders On A Computer

A lot of computer concepts are brought over from the real world. Take for example the recycling bin which is where deleted files go, kind of like your own trash bin in real life where you throw away things you don’t need, but since trash bins are still used in real-life even today, it’s not an unfamiliar concept to the younger generation of students.

However, according to a report from The Verge that collected some anecdotes from various educators, it seems that the younger generation of students seem to be oblivious to what files and folders on a computer are.

According to the various stories shared by educators, many of them have encountered instances where students don’t seem to understand the concept of what files and folders are. This is a system that was used back in the day before computers, where files were essentially individual documents/reports, and folders were where you put them in to organize them.

According to Catherine Garland, an astrophysicist who teaches engineering, shared her perspective on how computer files are organized versus how her students see it. “I tend to think an item lives in a particular folder. It lives in one place, and I have to go to that folder to find it. They see it like one bucket, and everything’s in the bucket.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean that all of the younger generation are clueless about files and folders, but it does suggest that as we advance into the future, it might be time to rethink how we approach computers and design. For example, the concept of “dialing” or “hanging up” a phone is a foreign one to younger kids who grew up in the age of smartphones.

In any case, it’s an interesting read and if you have the time to spare, it might be worth going through the article.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: Education, Social Hit, study