Today's panel made me realize that I am super uncool. The fact that these high school students were coding, really exploring their identities online AND had a level of understanding of new media technology that I couldn't parallel made me want to crawl into a hole and cry.

Ahem.

Aside from this, I found myself asking the question: how do we educate a younger generation about technology if they seem to know so much more than we do? Technology is evolving so fast these days -- whatever pedagogical approaches to technology that we come up with/theorize about in this course may not be relevant a couple of years down the line. AND whatever technology we teach them to use in schools now might not be useful when they get into college and the wider world.

For example, I was made to do an DiDA (in my day, AiDA) Edexcel GCSE course in ICT. (More info here) I received a certificate that indicated that I could competently use computers. But, a couple of years later, I found that the skills that I used in this course redundant, and a waste of time. All I had was a pathetic little certificate that said that I could use a computer back in 2005. (or was it 2006?) This attempt by my education to ensure that I had the "skills" to use computers later on in life failed.

Wow! I was so impressed by the panel today. I could speak to those kids for hours more. One thing that came up briefly in the discussion, but that we did not have time to really explore was the ways in which technology can help form tight-knit communities based on the shared destructive comments about a different person or group. I know that this is a common feature of all human societies (we like to form an "us" as opposed to a "them") but such dynamics are typically discouraged in school settings where we try to teach kids about how to be better people---or this was at least true in my religious school that listed one of its top 5 goals as "building community as a christian value." I wonder if increased access and usage of technology makes it less problamatic and easier for kids to be hateful and mean towards others (like the example of the principle talked about today). In my high school, we had an instance of meanness on peoplesdirt.com that became a huge problem. Because people were anonymous, they felt comfrotable saying malicious things about others online. On the other hand, I'm sure a lot of us have seen the ways in which YouTube users united to create a message of kindness -- "It Gets Better"-- in the past years. Do you think technology is helping or hindering children's ability to practice kindness (I really believe that kindness does take practice)?

http://media.swarthmore.edu/bulletin/?p=903 with thanks to panelist Harry Smythe for letting us know!

Although the age difference was only two years, I feel like I'm a different generation than the panel from today. They were exposed to technology at a much younger age than I was and for a different purpose. I'm sure it's frustrating to have more technological knowledge than their teachers (because I've felt that way with my parents) but at the same time, they should look at the teacher's perspective--the teacher is in charge and perhaps doesn't like reading online and does better with an actual printed copy. These kids are so incredibly smart and I'm sure they will someday create a super comupter/do really amazing things!

While we were discussing about our entries into this tech & educ class, our group shared the point that it never occurred to us that we, human beings, are actually having a deep and complex relationship and interactions with technology. Through Clark's book, we were inspired to look at a bigger and more profound picture about our involvement with this semi-intelligent world. 

Hoever, even though we found Clark's book inspiring and open-minded, we could not deny that his arguments and interpretations provided in the book turned out to be distractive and be in a fog frequently. Clark came out of interesting and creative ideas and questions about this human-centered technological world but his proof and explanations, such as experiments and hypothesis, were pale and loose-connected. 

So Anne, and everybody, don't you think something we read or someone reads to us can really change  the way we feel, potentially change the way we live our lives, and thus have some impact on a collective consciousness?
I think it is possible that this old Shakespeare sonnet may have changed someone's life just a little bit this evening.
Loving an elderly parent, and learning how to, being willing to love intensely even though it means we may have to then, soon, let go.  One of life's most difficult tasks. Sometimes a work of art can articulate a different way of seeing that can offer an insight into something one has previously experienced as impossible.
In this Shakespeare sonnet, the beauty of the sunset's afterglow, is even especially intensely beautiful in the face of imminent dark. Then read that final couplet that suggests a way to be that is not so evident, nor easy to cultivate.

I believe that poetry can change the way we see the world, and the way we relate to and are in it.


Shakespeare  Sonnet #73

That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the deathbed whereon it must expire,

So Krys made a comment today about the different sounds nature may make and we are completely inept at hearing. It made me think of a short story written by Rhaod Dahl about a man who tries to develop a machine that translates animal noises into audible human sound. He gets some rather interesting results in the process. I was unable to find an online version of the text, but I was able to find a couple video versions of it, some of which are pretty good. 

Some of the quotes in this one seemed highly relevant to me, and I wanted to share them with you all. Thanks!