We’ve been tippy-toeing around this subject for a couple of weeks. Last year I wrote this post to explain my take on it.
Identity Maintenance
Technology is a Cultural diagnostic and Education is the process by which societal norms are maintained within that culture. Restated: Culture is the sum of its Techology. Education maintains the rules.
A lot of you wanted to make this question about a specific culture or some subculture without stepping back to take the high level view.
Here’s the in-a-nutshell summation:
“The future is here. It’s just not evenly distributed.” – William Gibson
Some of the things we’re talking about are significant for the notion of “are you in? or are you out?” How does one get to be a member of a Culture? And how do you get to leave? It’s a rather important issue because — as Joe Jackson once said, “Everybody hates a tourist. Especially one who thinks it’s all such a laugh.”
There’s the challenge. What’s the response?
January 27th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I am very much a tourist, digital immigrant….whatever you want to call it. I was not raised in the culture of technology. I don’t know the language and I struggle to even get through some sites on the computer. At this point, it is not the most important desire in my life to become part of this culture. I use technology when I teach but it is usually to enrich or review. I feel like it helps because you can touch yet another learning style with the technology. However, I am still considered one of those older teachers who cannot work with technology very well. Hence this class and my Rank I in Educational Technology–trying to become more of a native than a tourist.
Just like being a native to a place instead of a tourist, you “become a member” by being raised there. So to be a digital native, you need to have grown up using technology. You end up making the technology one of the most important things in your life. You cannot imagine your life without the technology because it has always been there. My first graders cannot remember a time without cell phones, play stations, color TV’s, DVD players, etc. They think they have always been there. It would seem abnormal to them not to have these things.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Well, speaking of technology, until two week ago, I felt comfortable with technology. I felt that I used the technologies that are offered within my school very well, for example, computers, smartboard, documet cameras, etc.
However, after starting this class, I realized that there is a lot that I don’t know about, and I’m anxious to learn. I joined a group in tapped in and attended my first meeting last night, which I had never heard of before EDUC 628. (Received lots of valuable info!) I’m sure that there is a lot more technology for me to learn, and I am excited to become a native, rather than a tourist.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
In response to miruka’s comment, I think the important thing is not to necessarily get “comfortable with technology.” The moment we get comfortable is often the moment that we quit trying to learn something new. We stop searching for different ways to do something. Tapped in does seem like a good place to share information with others…