I recently viewed 2 documentaries from the PBS series Frontline entitled: Growing Up Online & Digital Nation. They both address how today’s new technology effects society and education. Growing Up Online speaks to how technology has had an impact on the lives of adolescents who have grown up in the plugged in digital world. In contrast, Digital Nation speaks to not just how technology effects adolescents, but how it affects all people regardless of age. Growing Up Online, which was filmed in 2008 mentions how integrating technology into our kids education is important and worthwhile. It talks about the dangers kids might face in the online world. Digital Nation was filmed in 2010, and it appears as though it takes us into a more technologically savvy world that is faster and even more plugged in than in Growing Up Online. Digital Nation addresses some new technological dangers: addiction and the risks associated with multi-tasking, to name a couple. Both films take a look into the newfound digital era, but they analyze the effects technology has on our lives and our society differently.
Each film addresses the phenomenon of multi-tasking where today’s digital natives are able to perform various tasks at one time without skipping a beat. I believe that our brains will evolve into becoming better multi-tasking machines. Where today’s digital natives have always been immersed in technology, it becomes natural for them to be able to do more than one thing at a time. I think the human brain has its limits as to what it can accomplish through multi-tasking, but the technique does have a place in our new fast paced technological culture. I myself have actually become a better multi-tasker since I purchased an iPhone just months ago. Although my wife might tell you differently, I do believe that having the capability to be plugged in all the time has assisted my proficiency in taking care of more than one thing at a time. I can shuffle through the phone quickly and I am able to text, play Words with Friends, and check my email virtually simultaneously.
Digital Nation poignantly addresses the topic of addiction to technology. As with anything in life, people can fall victim to addiction. I do believe that there can be an unhealthy use of technology. It is evident in the case of those who have died while playing video games for 50 hours straight in South Korea. People should be concerned about this because it detracts from all of the good technology has brought us. I firmly believe that technology is the projection of intelligence that the human race has developed in order to make our lives easier. We should always be cautioned to the overexposure we might face when using technology and always remember that it is here to help us.
Both films talk about the use of video games and how they are perceived. I do not believe that video games are the answer to solving our educational problems, but they can be a very useful tool when utilized effectively. I think that video games are primarily a recreational vehicle, but they can enhance learning. Educational video games might help a 4th grade social studies class understand the map of the world better or a virtual reality ‘Shakespearian world’ created to enhance an English class’ understanding of Hamlet.
Bringing technology into a school can only increase its student’s capacity to learn. These tools need to be employed correctly and ethically. In the Digital Nation’s example of the struggling school in New York City, bringing in technology greatly enhanced the student’s ability to learn and stay focused. Schools need to engage students who live in a digital world with digital tools in order to find a common ground.
As children and teens begin to enter the digital era they are faced with the reality of being exposed to the online world and the dangers that are associated with that. Can parents really know what their kids are doing online? The answer is no. Parents can try, but kids are smart and will always find ways to circumnavigate parental controls and monitoring. The key for parents is to have an open line of communication with their kids about what they do and what their interests are. Parents today are hopefully having ‘the talk’ with their kids about things like sex, drugs and alcohol. Well, maybe they should be having a ‘talk’ about the world of internet technology and the dangers that they might face online. I believe schools should have a role in educating kids along the path of technology and should teach them proper netiquette and ethics when it comes to participating in the online world. I do believe that ultimately, the task lies with the parents and their relationship with their children.
In Growing Up Online we heard from Evan Skinner, a mother of 4 teenagers, who is worried that her kids’ participation online exposes them too much and presents a potential problem for their future. Kids can definitely be over exposed by posting too much information and pictures, and if seen by the wrong person kids can land themselves in some serious trouble. I know of companies who hire or fire people based on what they can see online on social media. I have heard stories about college admission offices declining students based on what they found on facebook or myspace. Students should care about what they post online and take the proper precautionary privacy measures to ensure that their identity is protected.
Technology poses some real dangers to us today. Today’s children and adults might be getting too distracted by all of the social media and new technology of today. Whether we are texting while driving or being consumed by a video game, we should all assess our connection to technology and make sure it is a healthy one. One might think all of technology is a blessing and we should embrace it wholeheartedly, but at the same time we should always beware of the pitfalls of over use of technology that might be a detriment to our way of life.
The one thing that amazed me after watching these 2 documentaries was the overwhelming proliferation of technology in our world today and especially in the world of education. I remember when I was a sophomore in college when the internet and email were in its beginning stages. We were all amazed at what technology might be able to do to better our lives. The fact that both films cite over 90% of teens today are plugged into the internet astounds me. The world has come so far in such a short time span. Digital natives are so in tuned to the digital world around us that I often find myself jealous. One comment that struck me was that the internet may have created the greatest generation gap since the advent of rock and roll. That is so evident when you see the interviews of teachers in the documentaries. The teachers that embrace technology have an entirely different outlook than the teachers who are reluctant to use technology. I am so curious as to what the classroom will look like when the digital natives start migrating their way into the administrative roles in our schools.
Growing Up Online really gave me new perspective as to how to teach effectively and to try to stay on the cutting edge of technology in order to better relate to today’s students. Even in my role as a football coach we have incorporated technology in how we disperse information to the players. We use a web based ‘drop box’ where we put plays and scouting reports. The players have access to this information at any time and we found it has enhanced the degree to which the players grasp our system. Seeing how the teachers at Chatham High School bring technology into their classroom inspires me to go out and gobble up all of the information I can about bringing new technology into the classroom. I actually love the notion of teaching as entertaining the kids to grab their interest.
Digital Nation opened my eyes to the responsibility we have to teach kids to be good online citizens. I think it is paramount for children to understand what they are getting into when they enter the online world. They need to behave in a way that shows respect and reflects their values. Bullying should never be tolerated and kids should always be aware of the situations they could potentially walk into if they are not careful.
An impressive entry! "The internet may have created the greatest generation gap since the advent of rock and roll." I loved this quote and actually meant to incorporate in my blog, as well!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your views about video games. There is a time and place for everything. Although they can be educational, I personally think the appropriate place for them is in the home rather than the class room. There is so much other educational technology we can utilize in the classroom. As a mother, I would like to be the one in charge of my daughter's video game usage.
I think you are one hundred percent right when you said that "teachers that embrace technology have an entirely different outlook than the teachers who are reluctant to use technology".
ReplyDeleteThere are some teachers that are simply going to be stuck in their ways. Some teachers may never change their lesson plans while others are more likely to take a risk and see where they end up. The bottom line is that there will always teachers whom fear technology and change. This is the same as in other professions. It's easy to forget since many of us in class are very motivated to become teachers, that some may, over time, lose the passion. Administrators now have to balance out motivating students as well as teachers.
Agreed! And we also have to be aware that while we are observing how some teachers are not adapting to change, we also have to be willing to do so in 10, 15, 20 years. Who knows what kind of changes we will be facing!
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