A digital World

           

1.  Compare and contrast each documentary.  What has changed from the first one (GrowingUp Online) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010?

            I found these two documentaries very interesting and intriguing.  I like how both showed the different views of using technology.  Both of these films were not one sided and focused on the pros and cons.  The first documentary, Growing Up Online technology was not used to the degree it is today.  This was done back in 2008 and it stated that 90% of kids are online.  The documentary talks about how kids enjoy using technology to connect to friends, express themselves and to complain about their parents.  This is a place they can go where they are free to do whatever they want because no one is in charge.   In the second documentary, Digital Nation you can see how things have drastically changed.  They go into depth about the different effects and concerns that using technology has.  This film shows not only how kids are fully submerged into their online life but the rest of the world was as well.  I was amazed to see how IBM no longer has its employees coming to the office but rather going to the virtual office online.  This documentary shows how slowly everything is being taken over by technology for the good or for the bad seems to still be up to debate.  I can easily see the benefits to using technology in many different ways but I think the long-term negative effects are still yet to be determined.   What is next?

2.  Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree?  Can you multitask?  Do you disagree?

            The documentary discusses the studies regarding multi-tasking conducted on the MIT students.  I thought this was fascinating.  Almost every student that took part in this study considered themselves good at multi-tasking.  They stated that they do up to five things at a time on a daily basis.  The students don’t view this as a problem.   They think teachers do not give them enough credit and that they need to realize that they can multi-task.  The findings on these test surprised the students.  All of the students’ performance was drastically lower when they were switching between tasks.  The study shows that the students get distracted easily and their memory is disorganized.  It argues that students are over stimulated, which is creating people that can’t think clearly.

I used to consider myself good at multi-tasking but after watching these documentaries, actually even while watching these documentaries, I found my self-checking my phone and email.  Was I multi tasking or being easily distracted?  I think that for anyone to do their best work they need to focus on that one task at hand.  Sure, many people can do many different task at a time but as the study showed the best work is done when the student is not switching from one task to the next.  People just have too much stuff going on in their lives and feel like they need to get everything done at once.

3.  Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living?   Should we be concerned?

            The question of whether or not people are addicted to technology can easily be debated both ways.  I think this needs to be addressed case by case.  I think for some people it is just a way of living.  This is how they do their jobs.  For example the IBM employees now have virtual offices.  I do not think these people are addicted to technology it is just a requirement for their job.  On the other hand you have people who are addicted to video games.  They play non-stop for hours at a time.  I was stunned when I heard that people have actually died from malnutrition because they would not stop playing a game.  I know that is an extreme case but I also know that there are many others who spend a majority of their time playing video games.  I think this is cause for concern and this is when parents need to step in and put some guidelines into place.  I think especially for young adults that it is all too easy to get lost and caught up in a game.  This game could be there escape from reality,  whether their running from the bully at school or just putting off that pesky paper they have to write.

4.  Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?

            I believe that there are many educational games that can be, and that are currently used in the classroom.  I do not think that they are a waste of time but rather a way to keep kids engaged and wanting to do more games, lessons, and practice tests.  I do believe that there are several games that have no educational purpose that are filled with violence.  But with anything if teachers use the appropriate tools/games it can greatly benefit the students.  Through this class I am learning more and more how technology can be used to reinforce what is taught in the classroom.  Games are just another way to connect to the students.  Using out of date textbooks is a sure way to keeps students from being active participants in the classroom.

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 don’t think that many parents know what their kids are doing online.  I think a lot of parents make an effort to monitor what their kids do but fail due to lack of technological knowledge.  In the film they show that one of the parents put a parental control on the computer but the kid was able to put what he wanted his parents to see in the viewer.  I think if parents are going to let their kids use technology then they need to be well versed in it to be able to monitor what their kids are doing.    Parents need to take the time to teach their kids to be good digital citizens.  A lot of schools use technology and are starting to pick up the slack and teach students how to be a good digital citizen, but more parents need to lay down the foundation.

            Kids and parents today need to realize the dangers online.  It was very upsetting to see that kids can Google just about anything they want.  It was awful to see in Growing Up Online, how a kid looked online how to hang himself and even talked to a friend online about doing it.  If only the parents could of known what he was looking at maybe they could of got him help and prevented him from killing himself.

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?

            I don’t believe that kids today realize the consequences off the actions they take online.  I think that kids feel safe behind the screen and do not think anything bad can come from something so innocent.  In the documentary it shows students who got into a fight at school and it was posted on YouTube.  At first the girls involved thought it was funny and cool to see how many people viewed it.  But then one of the girls realized how this will affect her and that potential colleges and employers could easily see this video too.  Kids should care what they are putting online.  People today feel the need to share every aspect of their life online.  I know that most employers Google potential employees and view their Facebook page if they have access.  Kids need to think about this before they post something online.  This could be the deciding factor on whether or not they get a job.

  

9.  Share your overall reactions and thoughts about each documentary here.  Please relate it to your views as a teacher/parent/coach/etc... What did you learn, find interesting, find disturbing, relate to, did not relate to, etc...from watching either documentary that you would like to share with others? 

            I think these documentaries are eye opening.  I found it very disturbing how easily kids can hide what they are doing online from their parents.  Even from the parents who monitor what their kids do online at home.  Once they leave the house the parent have no idea what their kids are doing.  Kids can easily make up names to create a Facebook account so their parents cannot see what they are doing.  I know several people that have multiple Facebook accounts depending on who they want to see what.  As a mother this concerns me and makes me wonder what steps I can take in the future to make sure my children are using the Internet appropriately.

            I found it interesting how the schools realize that all of this technology makes it easier for kids to cheat on assignments.  I think that the schools are trying to take the appropriate actions to prevent this, but the kids seem to still find away.  For example in Growing Up Online the school prohibits the use of spark notes but almost every student still uses them.

            I think that we should take a closer look at how the Korean government is dealing with technology in the schools.  The kids learn how to use the Internet responsibly when they learn how to read.  They implement fun songs for the kids to sing about being a good digital citizen.  I found it interesting that Korea now has free rescue camps to help with kids that are addicted to video games.  Some may think that this is extreme but I do believe parents need to take some sort of action to help their kid especially if they are spending twenty plus hour’s non-stop on the computer.