Questions for Thought:
1. Compare and Contrast each documentary. What has changed from the first one (Growing Up Online) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010 ? How did what you watched in the two videos support your feelings about technology or how did it change your views?Much has changed in the evolution of technology in the last several years. In the earlier video children/students were essentially living most of their lives through technology, that has not changed much over the last couple of years. Most parents/teachers didn't have a clue as to the sophistication and knowledge their children/students had with technology. Teachers/parents had little to no experience or knowledge about technology and they felt that this put them at a disadvantage and disconnected from children. Children had a totally different society that they engaged in, people that they engaged with, and an ability to invent who they were. This made it difficult, especially the parents to control what was going on in their children's lives. Having been a part of a teenager's growing up, I felt as if I didn't belong or was apart of her life, as she was always engaged in on-line activities. I was also concerned and feared the Internet and what kind of dangers it involved, mostly due to my own lack of knowledge and skills of the technology world. I saw that there was no regard to possible consequences of being on-line, it was who they were and what they did. Children/ students were more comfortable being on-line than in public, as it was the reverse for adults/ parents. There was and still is as of today, the fear of on-line predators and cyber bulling. Media coverage has heightened this concern, and the fact that the Internet has punctured the net of safety , or has it ? Have we just developed more ways of inviting them into our lives. Technology is not going away, each day new technology becomes available , and we as parents/teachers must stay as informed and educated about the newest technology to help support, educate and develop good digital citizenship to our children/students-we can not continue to have students/children develop their own private worlds, outside of our reach, especially with the newer technology, encouraging students to multitasks and the development of the virtual world on line. The differences between the two videos is amazing, given the short amount of time that has elapsed between the two. Most of use are now immersed in technology, its a wired world we now live in for both students and adults We as adults are now connected but not as completely as are children/students. There still remains a major generational gap Students today are multitasking throughout every thing that they do. One of the big questions at large is what is it doing to their brains. Some research has yielded troubling results, but this leads us to inquire and do more research into the use of the net and what it does to the brain. Some research says its impossible to multitask and not lose focus, but others indicate that it is possible. One of most increasingly big problems are the physical and mental health problems that have been attached to users of the Internet and not knowing when to UN-plug. Technology continues to play an important and vital aspect to individuals and their lives, How do we continue to develop with it, without it affecting lives in a negative and all consuming manner?
2. Your thoughts on multitasking. Do you agree? Can you multitask? Do you disagree with the video on the topic of multitasking? I find myself in the middle of agreeing and/or disagreeing on the subject of multitasking. My current profession encourages multitasking in order to get things accomplished in a timely and what is viewed as an effective manner. I view myself as being able to multitask, but I also know I can lose focus and concentration when presented with multiple tasks. I did not grow up in the generation of technology, so to say that students can or can not multitask without it affecting other parts of their lives, continues to be a big question that needs answers.
3. Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living? Should we be concerned? I do believe that their is a huge concern with technology addiction. You look around your current environment and look to see who is actively engaged with some sort of technology, My guess is that you will find more individuals engaged than not. There are more individuals who use technology and they don't know when to disconnect. South Korea presents a huge example of this issue. With rising medical concerns and conditions, such as ear, eye, hand problems, we need to educate and develop good technology behaviors and attitudes.
4. Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time? i do believe that video games can be an excellent resource in education. It enables students to engage in concepts that allow them to solve problems and come up with new and different solutions. It can engage them in activities with excitement and enthusiasm and the ability to succeed, then when presented with the general activity where they can choose not to participate and feel that they may fail.
5. Do you believe that digital tools such as Google tools can save schools that are struggling? Where schools are struggling, requires us as educators to look closely at the curriculum. Teachers are continually growing with embracing of technology in their classroom. We need to figure out how to use these tools in the education of students so that they can and continue to succeed in their academic life as well as the real world. We must meet children at where they live today.
6. Do parents of today have any idea what their kids are doing online? Whose job is it to teach them the safety and digital responsibility? Parents/Teachers/Community/Government?? I view this as a responsibility of all entities. It must first begin with parent involvement. They must lay the foundation of ethics, manners and responsibility of using technology. As they grow with their use of technology, teacher, community and government must be merged into the child/students use of technology. The foundations must be laid out at the earliest age that a child begins to engage with technology.
7. Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care? Footprints of technology are as important as your presence and experience in the real world. It reflects, informs and directs who you are as an individual. They leave a path of where you have been, where you are at now, and can possible predict your future path. We need to look at and be concerned with where are foot prints are, and who we are inviting into are lives. With the need for instant gratification , we most often do not look at the consequences that are involved with on are line behavior.
8.“Stranger Danger” and predator fears are often overblown by the media on shows such as Datelines “To Catch a Predator”. What are the real dangers of technology in this day and age? Technology extends itself into every area of our lives, as it does to predators. Technology has enabled us to be come more aware of predators and bulling that occur everyday in peoples lives, and the consequences that evolve from using the Internet. The danger of technology today remain the same as they did several years ago. Predators, bulling, development of human values, engaging with the real world, all impact how and when you are involved with technology. Dangers of using technology have always created many complaints. It does not mean that the complaints are wrong, but we need to gain an understanding of what will they gain in other things as Digital life continues to move forward. In order to advert the dangers of technology, we as a community of Internet users most continue to educate, develop, and participate in well defined standards and etiquette of technology.
Feel free to add anything else you feel would explain your views about the videos and how they relate to educational technology. What was your favorite part of either video? Why? Most interesting?
The most interesting part of the videos was in the second video, about the virtual experiences. It was interesting but frightening at the same time. I did not realize how far the development of the virtual world has come. Real lives migrated into a virtual world, where most human interactions occur. I can see the freight train speeding towards this virtual world, and I wonder what effect it will have on the new generation of children and their ability to connect with the real world. In gaining some knowledge of virtual world, I can see some huge benefits, such as children experiencing events that otherwise they wouldn't be able to do, virtual reality therapy to treat PTSD in soldiers and other individuals. What amazes me the most is the involvement of our military and the ability to engage in day to day warfare through virtual technology. But on the other hand what are the consequences of a virtual reality ? I continue to develop my own ability to engage with technology, continuing to look at all the possibilities of a digital life and what the future holds
No comments:
Post a Comment