The “little” digital natives go to school (and university)How teaching and training methods changed

The present contribution will outline the evolutionary path of teaching and learning methodologies in the last thirty years devoting a more detailed analysis about the last ten/fifteen years, the so called Internet era. In the last thirty years many things changed. Pioneers and curious explorers of the digital domain left the arena to digital immigrants and more recently digital natives come on stage. Teachers and Professors, mainly belonging to the digital immigrant’s community, are training people grown up with WIIs, smart phones, the Internet and the social web. It is really so evident a different mindset? Is it true that pupils refer to the Web as their own memory and basic knowledge? Do they really think: why do I need to memorize when Napoleon did surrender at Waterloo if I can click on Wikipedia? What about the social impact of the “internet generation”? Do they need to learn more about what was before and how we get here? What about potential drawbacks and risks? How did and still do trainers adapt their curricula methodology and pedagogy to the evolving environment? Is the way to transfer information and knowledge significantly different from the traditional one? Do we need to re-train trainers? How can we bridge the gap between the traditional way of thinking and the huge set of opportunities offered by the information age? Is creativity only constrained by our imagination? A selection of related case study will be part of the contribution.