Learning to read when IE was launched

The theme of the June edition of Research News is 'Researching children and youth'. It features a range of articles about how research needs to be done differently with those born after 1990, remembering that this is a generation that has grown up with computer technology and media multi-tasking - as author Daphne Hume points out, the oldest of the teen group were just learning how to read when Internet Explorer was launched in 1995.

In the spirit of the theme, I decided as editor to commission a young designer/photographer to create this month's magazine cover. Full disclosure here: it was my niece Siobhan, who is is studying media and design at Box Hill TAFE in Melbourne. I was delighted to be able to phone her on her 18th birthday to ask, "How would you like your first paid design gig?"  

Siobhan then proceeded to impress the socks off me. Firstly she came back with a very professional pitch (two concepts mocked up). Secondly she delivered on time. Thirdly she wrangled a bunch of her friends to not only take part in the photo shoot but also to get their parents to sign a release form before doing so.

There's a lot of people talking about Gen Y and "co-creation", some of it genuine; a lot of it lip service. But I think Siobhan's cover speaks for itself.