Tuesday, July 26, 2016
The Age We Have Come To
After getting a late start on Amusing Ourselves to Death due to other homework assignments and summer activities, I've gotten through part one of the book and have got to say I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm really intrigued by the different views Postman has on civilization as it has shifted from a world of typography to a world of television in his time and love his in depth explanations behind the claims he has. One thing that caught my attention was when Postman said he'd learned "the computer is the technology of the future"(78) and that "children [would] fail in school"(78) if they didn't know how to use a computer. This came as a shock to me because of how true Postman's prediction of the future became and how much more worse it has become since it happened. Not only has the computer become a technological advancement that is used every day, but it is something people rely on in order to succeed at something or gain information from. We now need computers to be able to type up assignments, print out pictures for projects, or even turn in assignments to teachers in order to succeed in classes given a certain situation. Additionally, because computers give people access to the internet, they use search engines such as Google, Bing or Yahoo to get quick, simple information for something rather than referencing a book or an encyclopedia. What's worse is that as technology keeps advancing, devices like phones, tablets, and watches are getting closer to doing what a computer can, so people are able to entertain themselves through social media or receive information anywhere they go. So, my questions to all are; Will computers and other devices like them continue to become more appealing than they already are in order for people to entertain themselves, have access to quick information, and do assignments or other pieces of work? Is it a good thing or a bad thing that they make tasks simpler for us and may become a necessity for students to succeed academically? Does anyone think all devices in general could potentially replace books or other written texts as a way to get information, similar to what Postman fears? Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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In many schools today, tablets such as iPads are already given in replacemnt of physical textbooks. I don't think its a bad thing, but I personally prefer seeing paper and flipping pages. As technology advances, so will our schools. Recently, Mayfair got all new projectors and screens to upgrade technology, and teachers still have trouble figuring it out haha.
ReplyDeleteIt is not a bad thing to have simpler ways of accessing information and to do work faster. I'm not a sure what teachers prefer, but i do believe all this stuff makes it a bit easier.
AS technology progresses, our appeal for these types of technology only increases. Sometimes making tasks simpler with technology can be good, but it can be overused. If we always rely on the internet for information then books will slowly fade away. We need to keep a balance between books and the internet as sources of information.
ReplyDeleteThe way technology is progressing makes everything easier. As Alyssa said, there are schools that have already replaced books with iPads or other tablets. Even though it's more work, I like flipping through pages because then I can get to ones that I know much faster or flip between pages. Technology is getting more appealing to most but there are the few that do like books rather than a phone or computer. Technology is great for fast information and entertainment and there's nothing wrong with it.
ReplyDeleteConsidering your questions I believe that since technology has such a huge impact in society, its constant changes and advancements will continue to take both our attention and money. As technology is thought to aid learning making it much easier to access a larger amount of information, I feel at times it has failed the youth in society by making it harder for them to think critically and creatively about certain topics. Postman’s fear that devices could replace written text is in my opinion possible, yet I believe much of the information would originate from the print sources. I enjoy the benefits of technology as much as the next person, but I feel using the web in moderation is essential to preserving the importance of written texts in the future.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the goals of technology in something such as education are to 1) prepare students for a technology-based future, as those types of skills will be necessary in both college and the workforce, and 2) make more basic tasks easier, so time and attention can be focused onto improving quality or learning something more complex. For example, as word processors improve and make it easier to physically compose an essay, we have more time to focus on improving and revising our work. Or as it becomes easier to learn a little about many things, we can take more time to dive deeper into a few things that really interest us or are really important to our schoolwork. On another note, I don't think Postman would care about reading textbooks on tablets. I think he would only care if the textbook were changed to be simpler, digested, or summarized in order to be put into an ebook form, and that is not the case. Content wise, ebooks and physical books are the same. It's simply a matter of personal preference.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the goals of technology in something such as education are to 1) prepare students for a technology-based future, as those types of skills will be necessary in both college and the workforce, and 2) make more basic tasks easier, so time and attention can be focused onto improving quality or learning something more complex. For example, as word processors improve and make it easier to physically compose an essay, we have more time to focus on improving and revising our work. Or as it becomes easier to learn a little about many things, we can take more time to dive deeper into a few things that really interest us or are really important to our schoolwork. On another note, I don't think Postman would care about reading textbooks on tablets. I think he would only care if the textbook were changed to be simpler, digested, or summarized in order to be put into an ebook form, and that is not the case. Content wise, ebooks and physical books are the same. It's simply a matter of personal preference.
ReplyDelete