ENC Ning Summer Webstitute 2010

Day 1: Social Network With and Without Technology: William Kist

4. Do you know someone who refuses to use the Internet, perhaps even refuses to have cable television in his or her home? (Maybe you are such a person!) What do you think about teachers, in particular, who refuse to engage with new media?

I am someone who uses all of these media, though I have to say I would miss cable and TV less than the internet. I think this is partly due to the fact that you can watch a lot of shows online now (and you can watch them anytime you want or watch several in a row). The other reason is that the internet is more interactive.  I can read, interact, search, and learn about all and any sort of topic online. 

The article states that 33% of American households that could have access to broadband have elected not to. Why is that? Age is one issue as some people are not interested in access due to being unfamiliar with is. However only 77% of 18-29 year olds have subscribed. Why? Other challenges are low income homes and rural areas.

I think there is something wonderful about the internet and the way we can communicate online, but there is also, like all technologies, something dangerous. While the internet allows us to blog, comment, view, learn, research, and do so many things, it is also not a reality. It is easy to start using the computer and watch hours fly by without one noticing. How often do we miss face to face interactions with people because we are at home blogging, watching, or checking Facebook? How often are we pulled out of enjoying the present moment because we are too busy texting or tweeting instead of being? How do I even manage the countless emails, tweets, websites, and communities I'm part of not to mention the different passwords? One can understand why someone might want to limit their use of the computer by removing the temptation completely.

I think it is fine for a teacher to not want to blog everyday, be on Twitter, or know how to use iMovie. However, I do think a teacher needs to understand what these tools are and how the are being used by our students. These teachers need to be sure to give their students experiences with these technologies by making whatever arrangements they need to make to learn or have someone else work with their students. Teachers cannot deny technology's role in our life and on the world we live in.

One of the problems is that if this year's teacher is tech-savvy and next year's teacher is not, parents and students are receiving inconsistent technology use in class projects and home communication. There seems to be some minimum that should be required in order for us to use the technology available to its potential.