Journal # 5

This journal is titled "Can You Hear Me Now?" by Sherry Turkle.  In this article, Turkle shares some thoughts about the technology we use and how it seems to take us further away from reality.  Turkle went on a business trip to Japan where she noticed the people in the meeting constantly messing around with their technology.  From this experience Turkle came up with five trouble that stem from the over use of technology.  The first one is that the online world creates a new meaning of the self.  People are taking new identities and are living in virtual reality instead of actual life.  The second trouble is the idea that we are all losing time to take our time.  Everything with technology is so rushed that people have no time to spare, no time to relax, and no time for anyone else.  The third trouble concerns the children.  Since the kids get cell phones at an early age, they are becoming more technological faster than their parents.  The fourth trouble is the different lives people produce on such sites like Facebook and Myspace.  And finally, the last trouble is the idea of split attention.  With so many people on so many different technology tools, are attention spans are getting smaller and smaller.  These troubles are all troubles that I agree with and see on a daily basis.  These are also troubles that we will see, for sure, in the classroom.

Question 1:  How will these troubles affect the classroom?

I know for a fact that the idea of a shorter attention span will affect the way a classroom works.  With all of the technology that the students will be using, its up to the teacher to be on top of the classroom environment.  We need to make the classroom exciting and at a pace that every kid can stay at.  We as teachers also need to use the technology to our advantage.  Let the kids use the web during class.  We do in college and it helps a lot.  While reading a certain book for instance, a student can read off an interesting fact about the author and what not.  But give them limits, don't erase technology all together.

Question 2:  Where do we notice these troubles in our daily lives?

We can see these effects everywhere.  From board meetings in Japan, to classroom behavior.  Even now as I'm typing, I have my phone near by waiting for a text message.  I believe instead of hating on technology, we must embrace it.  The only thing I think we can change is the way we socialize on sites like Facebook and Myspace.  That stuff needs to go away personally.  I think that stuff can be used for education, but I feel as if it will get in the way more so than help out.