So, I woke up a little mad at the world that my Saturday morning sleeping or cartoon watching would have to be put on permanent hold until the end of this program (okay, not true, I actually never watch cartoons on Saturday...okay, rarely). I figured I'd start with the closest thing possible...a youtube video!
I didn't know most of those facts; while I had an idea of them and knew that the digital shift was insane, I hadn't really thought about the millions of televisions sitting in peoples' bathrooms or the sheer amount of content that is on youtube or the amount that one teenager can text in an instant- much less in a month. I'm also totally one of those people that is referenced that is afraid to use my cell phone to purchase anything! C'mon- the security on those things cant be that good! When I first watched, one of the more surprising facts, which I suppose if I think about it more isn't terrible surprising, is that 90% of emails sent are spam. Maybe it's the magic of gmail filters that has kept me innocent and naive. But I do remember those days of AOL and the amount of spam I got was impressive- I just thought it had gotten better since then!
The Major Lesson: Keep Up or Get Out. These numbers and facts are sometimes hilarious and sometimes downright scary; but perhaps the most dangerous part of this is what's happening to the need for people and the need for physical jobs. Teachers have to keep up and make use of the technology while still managing to stress the importance of social interaction; it's as if our future jobs (fingers and toes crossed) now demand of us a whole new area- making sure kids can talk and interact with one another when they're cell phones are turned off and their computers aren't in front of their faces.
Also, my first lesson to my class may be about why it's not necessary to text the entire book of world records...really?!?
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ReplyDeleteI definitely have encountered spam when trying to find that rare email that gets filtered into the wrong folder. I never knew there was so much viagra in the world!
ReplyDeleteChris and I were talking about new technology after I watched this, and he put forth the idea that we're developing a giant shared consciousness, with everybody sharing their thoughts simultaneously, instantly. I wasn't aware of this, but apparently there is futuristic technology being developed to actually tap into a person's brain and allow instant communication through thought. The sad thing is, I definitely know people who jump on board with that!
That's part of the reason English education is so critical. We show students how to read between the lines. We also illustrate to students that what you write can be read and interpreted in many different ways, a really valuable lesson in the age of sharing all.
Thanks for the creative opening to this response. I appreciated the extra thoughtfulness and creativity.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you both, esp. with Carrie about English education. Analysis is so important (something November mentions in his article, as well). The ability to decode/process all of the information you receive is something that cannot be emphasized enough.
ReplyDeleteOn a semi-related note, I think English has something very crucial in common with technology: it is so unapologetically democratic. So many meanings, so many interpretations, so many applications.. good stuff.
Really nice thoughts, girls. Keep up the convo!
"The Major Lesson: Keep Up or Get Out. These numbers and facts are sometimes hilarious and sometimes downright scary; but perhaps the most dangerous part of this is what's happening to the need for people and the need for physical jobs. Teachers have to keep up and make use of the technology while still managing to stress the importance of social interaction; it's as if our future jobs (fingers and toes crossed) now demand of us a whole new area- making sure kids can talk and interact with one another when they're cell phones are turned off and their computers aren't in front of their faces"
ReplyDeleteEmphatic moral! I like it. However, some food for thought: even though remote learning might be 'blowin' in the wind', that doesn't mean us educators have to be left behind. there's always going to be a need for teachers to craft and revise curriculums, supply individual tutoring, and provide other kinds of expertise. worst that could ever happen is you use that masters degree in a corporate context rather than in an education system. but i think we have a while to go before it comes to that (hopefully).