The social media thread from some time ago inspired me to write about this topic.

I was just thinking about how technology is used these days especially when it comes to school assignments, and I honestly have to say it has been blown out of proportion. I've seen comments particularly from older Millennials (not a generational thread specifically) saying that when they were in school doing assignments, they used card catalogs/books, the Dewey decimal system etc. while the younger Millennials basically had the internet where it nearly changed everything to where they could use it for almost any assignment regardless of the class subject. I have to say that is bogus!

For one thing, I don't recall myself, my friends or anyone I knew doing online assignments like we are today. When we did research, we used newspapers, books, magazines, etc. for our assignments. Hell, we also did our reports in our notebooks. Even in a class such as math, the homework was done on paper. Besides, the whole online assignments didn't really come through until at least several years ago.

Speaking as a Gen Z/Millennial cusp. For us, the 2005 school year, or 4th grade, was when started doing assignments online. That's when Wikipedia etc. started to break through.

Interesting topic. There was definitely a shift, but it's hard to say exactly where it occurred.

When I was in elementary school, we still did all of our assignments like book reports and projects the old fashioned way (going to the library, checking out books, etc.). This was also largely true when I was in middle school in the late '90s and early '00s as well. I think it was my last few years in high school before I started to really notice computers getting used for assignments more and more. During my senior year in 2004-05, we did all of the research for a project in my World History course on the library computers, and that was the first time I can ever recall researching an entire assignment on the internet. Perhaps that is where the shift took place.

I would add, though, that even into the mid '00s all assignments were still done with the traditional pen and paper, even if the research was conducted online. This new trend of students using tablets to do schoolwork on didn't start until I was already out of college. That seems to be almost entirely a 2010's thing.

Speaking as a Gen Z/Millennial cusp. For us, the 2005 school year, or 4th grade, was when started doing assignments online. That's when Wikipedia etc. started to break through.



Interesting topic. There was definitely a shift, but it's hard to say exactly where it occurred.

When I was in elementary school, we still did all of our assignments like book reports and projects the old fashioned way (going to the library, checking out books, etc.). This was also largely true when I was in middle school in the late '90s and early '00s as well. I think it was my last few years in high school before I started to really notice computers getting used for assignments more and more. During my senior year in 2004-05, we did all of the research for a project in my World History course on the library computers, and that was the first time I can ever recall researching an entire assignment on the internet. Perhaps that is where the shift took place.

I would add, though, that even into the mid '00s all assignments were still done with the traditional pen and paper, even if the research was conducted online. This new trend of students using tablets to do schoolwork on didn't start until I was already out of college. That seems to be almost entirely a 2010's thing.
I think it probably has to do with the school/city a person is in because I definitely agree that it's difficult to pinpoint  when it took place.  The school district I was in, didn't have any online assignments until about 2009-2010. So, the times when I or anyone else was in the library, the PCs were barely used.

As for Wikipedia, my school actually blocked it, so we couldn't even use it. ;D

There's nothing wrong with using the Internet for research, that's what it was made for. Are there seriously people out there that take pride in not using the Internet for knowledge? That's worse than Luddism LOL

Of course it's important to use journals, cited research papers and other academic texts, but a lot of those are on the Internet already, so it's not as if the two are contradictory.

I used the library and did my research using books and academic texts throughout my school career, and I used the internet as well.

In terms of when I didn't use the Internet, I remember 2000-2001 school year was the last when I solely used the library, for a book report and a project where we had to make our own flashlights. By 2002-03 I was more often using the Internet as my primary source. That's when I discovered copy and paste, and copied an entire page about air pollution and called it a day. I got in a lot of trouble LOL.

There's nothing wrong with using the Internet for research, that's what it was made for. Are there seriously people out there that take pride in not using the Internet for knowledge? That's worse than Luddism LOL

Of course it's important to use journals, cited research papers and other academic texts, but a lot of those are on the Internet already, so it's not as if the two are contradictory.

I used the library and did my research using books and academic texts throughout my school career, and I used the internet as well.

In terms of when I didn't use the Internet, I remember 2000-2001 school year was the last when I solely used the library, for a book report and a project where we had to make our own flashlights. By 2002-03 I was more often using the Internet as my primary source. That's when I discovered copy and paste, and copied an entire page about air pollution and called it a day. I got in a lot of trouble LOL.
Yep. The older Millennials, and some of the prior generations do this all the time especially the former because they assume that they were the last group who experienced school without high technology ::).

Like Machine said, the online assignments didn't take hold until sometime after the mid-late 00s. Prior to that, everyone used the old-fashion methods for their assignments for each class. Besides, it's not like 10 years ago, people were expected to watch Youtube videos, do google searches, or even upload book reports online. 

I have to do 90% of my assignments online. However, ever since 2005...I have done some school assignments online but back then (2005-2009) it wasn't often. Ever since 2012/2013, the amount of time I've had to do research and school assignments have increased exponentially.

I have to do 90% of my assignments online. However, ever since 2005...I have done some school assignments online but back then (2005-2009) it wasn't often. Ever since 2012/2013, the amount of time I've had to do research and school assignments have increased exponentially.
I know. Just 10 years ago, all of my assignments were done with pencil/pen/notebooks. Now, the only time I use those things is when I'm taking notes. All my assignments are pretty much online.

I know. Just 10 years ago, all of my assignments were done with pencil/pen/notebooks. Now, the only time I use those things is when I'm taking notes. All my assignments are pretty much online.


Now with so much information, there's no need to use a pen and paper anymore.

Now with so much information, there's no need to use a pen and paper anymore.
Still is, when there is a powerful?