Digital transitions: The elderly and technology

My dad's portable computer

When I consider the elderly and technology, I think of my own father. Dad was involved with computers when computers did very little. He put some of his own together. He once used a large wooden folding table and converted it into a "computer desk" where the "guts" of the system were all configured inside the desk. I can still remember dragging the piece down from the attic a number of years ago when my mom finally put her foot down and made my father trash the old technology he was not using anymore.

Dad had one of the first Apple Macintosh computers in the area. When portable computers were still more of a dream than a reality, dad was placing his smaller Apple computer in a carrying case with a dot matrix printer so he could travel with it to Toronto to do consulting work.

For years he did programming, creating software for local businesses and companies that needed custom-based databases for tracking different things. He worked with trucking companies, convenience stores, and pulp and paper mills. Back in the 90s I remember going on a conference with him when Microsoft was unveiling some new software. I went in my capacity as a sales rep since, at the time, I worked for a local computer retailer. Dad went as a programmer. I remember looking around during the conference and noting that a lot of the people there were younger than me, and dad was the only grey hair head in the room.

Up until July 2011 dad was still doing consulting and programming for local businesses. He was 77 years old. In July of that year he suffered a serious stroke. Thankfully, his recovery went well. However, the next year my family lost our mom and my father lost his life-long companion of over fifty years. We worried about dad's recovery, and what he would do to fill his time since we knew he would probably never use computers again.

Dad's stroke left him partially blind and his short term memory is hit and miss. While he still likes to talk about his days using computers, his desire to even attempt using one is gone. However, he has a trusty CD player companion, compliments of CNIB, that he uses to listen to documentaries, lectures, news and audio books. Dad has used an iPad for FaceTime, and my sisters and I discussed setting one up for him. We soon realized, however, that while we would see the benefit of it, dad finds it much easier to have his CDs provided to him where he can play them in a unit that has basic buttons he can remember how to use.

So my father transitioned from firing up at least one computer everyday to having very little desire to even turning one on again. He certainly appreciates thing like Facetime, but his capacity for remembering how to use it is not there, and he knows that and accepts it. I only hope when (and if) I am his age, I can be as accepting of whatever life throws at me.

Nursing home residents use FaceTime to stay in touch with family
On another note related to the elderly, my friend was telling me about a student he knows who is working at a local nursing home on a school co-op. She realized a lot of the residents had family who lived away. So she contacted some of the families and arranged Facetime sessions on her iPhone between the residents and their families. It has been a big hit and residents look forward to chatting on Facetime with their families.

Call me maybe?
And, finally, some of you might have seen or heard of the resident home in Ontario where, with the help of the recreation coordinator, the residents did their own rendition of "Call Me Maybe." I provided a link here if you want to check it out. Or check out the embedded video below:

Brain strain?

Are products like Fast ForWord an essential piece of the
puzzle in improving student reading and language skills? 

The students walk into the classroom and sit down at their computers. They fit headphones on and wait for the systems to start up. They then can begin a forty or fifty minute protocol in different "games" that are supposed to help rewire the brain.

If someone walked into this classroom he/she might see students bent over with their heads on the computer desks as if they were asleep. Yet, they are in a challenging phase of an exercise where they need to recognize low and high sounds.

The sounds are played so quickly that some students find it easier to concentrate by shutting out any visual distractions, and the only movement comes from their fingers as they swiftly enter choices on the keyboard.

Welcome to a classroom in the 21st century where students are experiencing the Literacy products by Scientific Learning. According to the company, the software is designed to "rewire the brain for academic gain." Their website says that the software is so effective that "on average, students can achieve a one to two grade level reading gain in 8 to 12 weeks."

The major principle behind the development of the software centres around the research of brain plasticity that "demonstrates that completing learning tasks in a frequent, intense timeframe accelerates learning."

The acronym MAPS is used to summarize the four key cognitive skill sets that are developed when using the Fast ForWord products. MAPS stands for memory, attention, processing rate and sequencing.

There is no doubt that science has made dramatic strides in how the brain works, and these discoveries have helped form the basis of new teaching approaches in schools across the globe. But can computer software programs really give the brain "a workout" that will help improve students' cognitive skills and reading fluency?

Unsurprisingly, according to Scientific Learning, they can. The Reading Progress Indicator (RPI) was designed by an independent assessment provider company, Bookette Software, to measure students' reading and language skills as they progress through the Fast ForWord products.

This assessment, combined with the experience of many schools, makes for an impressive number of testimonials that praise the effectiveness of Scientific Learning's line of computer products.

Additionally, the RPI assessment allows the software to automatically set a student in the program and at the level it determines will be best for that student. Although the educator can disable this feature and assign the student to another product if he/she feels the RPI assessment placement is misdirected.

The newest versions of products from Scientific Learning
are online, so students can "exercise their brain" anywhere
 there is a high speed Internet connection, whether it is a
computer lab, classroom or even at home.  

So is Fast ForWord a new revolutionary way to help students develop reading and language skills through computer generated brain exercises? Those who have invested in the software say yes, but there are some doubts.

According to the website teacheffectively.com, at least two independent studies of the program question how effective Fast ForWord is, particularly if compliance with the program is inconsistent.

Dr. Steve Miller, a co-founder of Scientific Learning, responded to the site in the comment section. Dr. Miller said that the Fast ForWord products now have 30-50 minute protocols per day as opposed to the older 90-100 minute protocols that were used when the research was done. Dr. Miller then provides the titles of three published studies that found Fast ForWord to be effective in raising literacy outcomes.

Despite doubts and conflicting evidence, it looks like Fast ForWord will not disappear any time soon. In fact, other companies are now on the scene, like Lumosity, that also provides brain computerized games for any ages. The company claims their software has helped people recover from diseases and accident-related brain injuries. Similar to Scientific Learning, Lumosity is "advised by leading experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology."

It is doubtful educators would see computer brain games as the ultimate solution for improving reading and language skills. However, for schools and districts that can afford the products and can devote the time, they may be an excellent supplement, particularly for struggling, special needs and at-risk students.

Related sites:

• The Reading Brain and the Fast ForWord Program: Click here
• Exploring the re-wiring of the brain: Click here
• New Clues on Rewiring the Brain: Click here
• Brian Flexibility, Basis for Software Development to Treat Learning Disabilities: Click here
• Rewiring the brain to learn: Click here

Image is everything?

Are most schools more focused on relaying basic
information than creating an effective digital image?

The idea of image when creating an online presence is one that I do not think schools seriously consider when developing websites. Most of the time schools are more focused on relaying information to parents and students. Perhaps that is why many school websites are not effectively managed. Unfortunately, many school websites simply upload PDF documents of information they traditionally sent home with students.

One of the problems with school websites, is the difficulty to ensure that all parents or students are visiting it to get information. Hence, many schools still send printed material home with students accompanied by talk mails informing the parents/guardians of the printed material. While, ideally, a school website would be the best place to direct parents/guardians, there is still a portion of people who seldom surf online or even use email or social media.

Another concern is whether school websites are already passé. Social media sites may be more effective in relaying some information to homes. I know in my province one district has decided to set up a district presence on Facebook, arguing that most parents check Facebook before they go to the school or district website for updates such as cancellations, events, etc. Yet, again, there are a number of avid Internet users (myself included) that do not use or have a very limited use of Facebook.

The article "Breakdown: Converged Media Workflow" explores some of the issues and concerns that arise when creating an online presence and image. While primarily an article on business and marketing strategies, the idea that departments must "work together on a more frequent basis" is required to create an effective online presence. Schools and districts need to work closer together to ensure everyone is on the same page and schools should have a team who regularly meet to discuss what needs changing and what needs adding to their online presence.

Furthermore, the article explores the mistake of forgetting to "analyze what people want to hear" when creating an online presence. What information do parents/guardians and students want to see on a school or district website and what social media presence is required? How can schools gather this information?

Creating an effective digital image and online presence requires schools to tap into just more than having a school website. Schools and districts need to go where parents and students are, and that means creating a presence on social media sites with links to the related websites.

Educators also have to consider their digital image. While finding ways to inform and connect with students and parents is important, there is a need to divide the personal from the professional. One article I read a few years ago suggested the easiest way to provide information to students through social media is to create a separate account that is for educational purposes. This certainly does not mean that educators do not have to be careful about what they post and discuss in their personal digital space, but it creates a distinction and makes it easier to manage.

Mobility is another concern when developing an online image

Another concern today is the mobile user. Parents and students alike are increasingly using more mobile technology. In "Accessibility Trumps Design," author Reuben Tozman observes that mobile versions of websites have to have "the content structured in a way that lets mobile technologies take advantage of certain pieces of content that regular browsers ignore." This concern illustrates another reason why schools should have a team that meets on a regular basis to address the changes to not only content, but also technology and how users will access the content.

Finally, I think Reuben Tozman's article "Feeding the Web and Instructional Design" should be mandatory reading for any team looking at designing or redesigning their digital image. Tozman approaches the web experience as a community with a "network of relationships." I think it also takes a network of relationships for a school and district to create an effective image online. Web development and creating an online presence should never be left to one or two people; ideally, it should be a team effort that is regularly discussed and analyzed with feedback and contributions from users who access the content.

Photos from morguefile.com

Online school fundraising grows in popularity

Tired of rolling change from school fundraisers?
Online fundraising may be the solution...

Online commerce, online banking, online dating and even online education, but a new buzz is online fundraising.

Just recently wealthyschools.ca made a pitch on CBC's Dragon's Den explaining how their company helps schools make money by essentially making schools an outlet for picking up products purchased online.

Parents can order the product online through wealthyschools.ca and then pick it up at the school when they go get little Johnny or Sally. The school gets a cut off the profits made from selling the products.

While the idea was warmly received by some of the dragons on CBC's popular show, a few were hesitant to invest, citing a lot of work for the schools and the need for schools to have the space to store the products.

However, Wealthy Schools appears to be winning schools over since they now plan to expand outside of their original market in the greater Vancouver area to Calgary and Toronto. Additionally, they argue that most of the work is done by parents involved on school committees who utilize Wealthy School's online software that allows them to plan, organize and track their fundraising efforts.

Will school bake sales be a thing of the past?

Yet Wealthy Schools is not the only route for schools to raise money. Other sites include goschoolyard.com and schoola.com, to name a few. Each online service has its own angle and focus on how schools, students, or parents can raise money by using their sites.

Regardless of what online service schools decide to use, it appears that online fundraising is becoming a popular option for cash-strapped learning communities.

As schools continue to see cuts made to their budgets, sites like wealthyschools.ca might see more online traffic while schools that use the service hope real traffic arrives at their front doors not only to pick up students, but to pick up product.

Photos from morgue.com

Related sites:

• See the pitch made by Canada's Wealthy Schools on CBC's the Dragon's Den. Click here.
• Forbes looks at Schoola and how it works. Click here.
• This blog entry discusses three online possibilities for schools to consider when planning fundraising. Click here.
• This site is dedicated to providing advice to schools and other non-profit organizations on online fundraising and social media. Click here. 
• When online fundraising is abused and goes horribly wrong. How a fraudulent website made money off other people's grief. Click here.
• Using live stream feeds with notable personalities to raise money during a fundraising campaign. Click here.
• Successful online fundraising site for non-profit organizations brings its services to public schools. Click here.
• Solar panels for schools uses a mix of online and traditional fundraising in the United Kingdom with an educational component for the students. Click here.
• A 10-year old student in Toronto focuses on fundraising for needy families and includes issuing challenges to other schools and an online campaign. Click here and here.
• Is online fundraising the way to go, when there are creative ways to fundraise that also can build awareness and bring communities together? Click here to see an article in The Advertiser that explores one creative way a school is fundraising.

Web design, play time, and digital literacy

HTML code in a post for the school's online newspaper

As I surfed the information and tutorials on the Virtual Training Suite, I had to ask myself if the students I teach today would engage in this type of online tutorial design. I think they would, but they would certainly need some "offline" encouragement and direction. The tutorial I looked at provided concise information in easy to understand "chunks." It was designed in a simple easy to read manner with some graphics and the links were easy to find and the directions for navigation were clear. Essentially, this online tutorial avoids the design pitfalls discussed in the Top 10 Mistakes in Web Design site.

However, I think in some ways the online tutorial falls into an issue that was discussed in Evaluating Web-Based Instructional Design where "the content of instructional materials can be under-utilized by simply 'porting' the material from one medium to another without considering whether the medium requires a different design approach" (p.6).

While the tutorial I looked at was a good tutorial, I do not feel its effectiveness on the computer screen was much greater than if the information was presented in a textbook or as a handout. In order to engage students (at least most of the ones I have taught) an educator would have to combine the information with other classroom activities. Did the medium require a different design approach? Perhaps. But sometimes I think the presentation of information online is best supplemented with classroom activities and peer to peer interaction.

I think, for myself, one way that learning could be enhanced in my field is if educators had more "play time" with technology and applications. Additionally, if educators could have more time in professional development to discuss and share what has worked and has not worked when using technology in their classrooms.

Time and time again, I have been involved in professional development where educators are the passive observers as someone showcases a new software or technological device. Just recently, however, I attended a workshop, and the presenters spent half the time on presenting and instruction and the other half of the time the participants actually used the software. I found this format was much more helpful and more of this hands-on training is necessary. When educators do not fully understand the technology or are uncomfortable in applying it to the curriculum, then there is a great risk for the "porting" of materials from one medium to another as previously mentioned.

I also think that educators should be exposed more to programming. I know in my own career, I would like the opportunity to learn more about HTML code. My father was a programmer, and his understanding of how computers work (and should work) was always enlightening to me. Moreover, I listened to a repeat of an episode of CBC's Spark where author Douglas Rushkoff argues that young people should learn to code to understand the bias of digital technology. He states that "programming is the new literacy of the digital age." The question becomes whether "we direct technology, or do we let ourselves be directed by it and those who have mastered it?" If we accept that programming is a literacy, than educators have an obligation to become literate and to teach and encourage students to understand how it works and the implications that come with that knowledge.

Another cornerstone I think to digital literacy is understanding where technology has come from and where it is going. I really enjoyed John December's Internet Tools Summary because it was a peek into the Internet I used to know and also an exposure to all the current online technology that is available at our fingertips. Who knew ICQ has a mobile app?

The current students in the school system have grown up with the Internet and technology. It was never not there for them, and while the last twenty to thirty years of technological development may seem fresh to many of us, it is their history. For students to really come to an understanding of where technology can take them, I think it is important for them to become aware of where technology has come from. I also think it is a good refresher for those of us who lived during that development. The evolution of technology is, of course, still occurring and the more young people know of its origins and development, the better they can appreciate where we are today and where we will be tomorrow.

How trendy is technology?

From: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/156096

Over the past few years, "the noise" surrounding technology in the classroom has been loud. From my own experiences, however, I find it has recently been quieter. I am not certain if the quiet has more to do with the general acceptance of technology and the "shine" of it has dulled, or if the issue is deeper. Lately, I have found less talk about implementing technology as departments cut costs and students find the technology in their back pockets more sophisticated than the school-issued clunky laptop or computer that endlessly churns over and over, if it starts up at all.

I have found in my discussions with other teachers that one evident trend in technology is to open it up in the schools. In other words, allow students, particularly older students, to bring their own devices. Open up social media so educators can initiate classroom discussions with students  about its implications, and how we can use it properly and responsibly. How can we harness the wealth of online applications that students already use or would use if they could apply them to their studies in a relevant and meaningful way?

This trend among educators, at least in my own area, does not come without first showing acceptance of and being open minded towards the previous approaches that were tried. But over and over, when the department of education or the district implemented a plan, whether it be one to one net/notebooks or creating customized media servers for students and staff to use, it quickly became evident that long term management and financial commitment to these projects were going to become major barriers.

So educators were finding their own online resources. Yet, excited with what they discovered and eager to try it at school, they would soon realize that network restrictions would sometimes block some sites, or security preferences prevented students to fully use the services or slow down the services to the point that the only results witnessed were student frustration and disengagement.

The article Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Activity Types: Curriculum-based Technology Integration Reframed by Judith Harris, Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler, articulates well the problem with "trickle down" technology integration. The articles states "...there is no single technological solution that will function equally well for every teacher, every course, or ever pedagogical approach. Rather a solution's success lies in a teacher's ability to flexibly navigate the spaces delimited by content, pedagogy, and technology, and the complex interactions among these elements as they play out in specific instructional situations and contexts."

There is a troubling trend where teachers are frustrated with cumbersome networks and outdated equipment while department and districts offer "one stop" solutions. Two years ago I sat in a session where two members from the department of education plugged an online platform they developed where students could go and create a personal space. It was similar to MySpace, they explained. One teacher raised his hand and asked how he could access it. A puzzled look came over one of the presenter's face as he explained the site is for the students, not the teachers. I watched teachers turn and look at each other and shake their heads. How did the department expect us to present this to students if we could not play with it? Further, how did the department want us to implement its use in our classrooms if we could not be exposed to the platform to consider how it might be possible to implement it in what we taught? Unsurprisingly, I never heard anyone talk about it again.

There is, as the article states, no single technological solution, and educators realize or are quickly realizing this. Additionally, educators also observe how quickly technology is changing and evolving. Another trend among many educators is working alongside students to determine what equipment or platform would be best to use. Sometimes allowing students to determine which application they will use to present a project or work on an assignment is one of the best lessons for both the student and the teacher. I have been in situations where I have suggested an online tool for students to use, only to have a few hands shoot up with other suggestions, which, in some cases, were more versatile and useful than the one I recommended. In such circumstances, the teacher becomes the student, as a student introduces and explains the resource to his/her classmates.

From: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/67265 

  But there is, as mentioned in the beginning, a trend toward teachers being exhausted with trying to integrate new technologies in suffocating environments where old standards are still being enforced. I recently started reading The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil. Kurzweil argues that "within several decades information-based technologies will encompass all human knowledge and proficiency, ultimately including the pattern-recognition powers, problem-solving skills, and emotional and moral intelligence of the human brain itself" (p. 33). He further states that progress is now happening at an exponential rate where "we won't experience one hundred years of technological advance in the twenty-first century; we will witness in the order of twenty thousand years of progress...or about one thousand times greater than what was achieved in the twentieth century (p. 37, 38).

Whether one agrees completely with Kurzweil's arguments, there is no denying the pace of developments in technology is sometimes mind-boggling. Additionally, how we define who we are as a society is also changing. While I do not think educators are claiming they have all the answers, many do recognize the need for us to acknowledge these realities in our classrooms. Many of our educational institutions need to seriously rethink how we integrate technology in our settings so that what we do continues to be relevant and meaningful to the students we teach. Educators have to play a big part in the shift from"trickle down" technology integration to a system that effectively reflects what is happening (and will happen) in the world our students live in.

We are currently experiencing gender issues, please stand by

I have to say that I found many of the issues brought up in the provided sources on gender did not always relate to my own experiences as a teacher. I am not arguing that technology is not typically  a male dominated area in our culture. I think, however, technology and attitudes have evolved, thus the gender issues, while still present, have evolved as well.

From my own experiences and observations, I have found that female students actually tend to embrace certain aspects of present day technology more than male students. The female students I teach are typically more active in social media, and they quickly find practical uses for Web 2.0 applications.  In contrast, I have dealt with a surprisingly large number of high school male students who would prefer not to use technology in the classroom, and the moment they run into a problem they give up. In fact, recently I had a male student who was experiencing difficultly and expressing frustration with a computer. Before I could make my way over to him, a female student had solved his problem.

In terms of mobile devices, I do find that both male and female students enjoy their technology. But when it comes to anything related to more challenging operating systems or online navigation, many female students tend to stick with it until they find a solution, or they will confer with another student or ask for help. Whereas a good number of my male students will mentally shut down and waste time until I discover they are having a problem. In some cases, these are also male students who are heavily involved in gaming, so I am surprised at their lack of using a critical thinking approach when trying to solve a technical problem. I suspect (or know) that sometimes it has more to do with lack of motivation and/or engagement.

Most of the courses I teach do not involve a lot of computer programming. However, we do get into some basic HTML for tweaking blogs or web pages. I do find, generally, male students are more interested in this aspect of technology. Although it is a very small portion of male students in my class who express an interest in HTML or have any knowledge on how it works. In fact, some semesters I receive no interest from students in taking on the task.

Circumstances in computer-mediation have changed dramatically over the past ten years. I was not surprised by the New York Times's article from 2000 which stated that results from a study indicated that gender switching is far less popular than what has been suggested. Even ten years ago computer users were much more anonymous on the Internet, and I think that anonymity probably encouraged    gender switching. Yet today anonymity is not as common, particularly among social networks. In fact, from my own observations, I would argue that many Internet users, including students, are too open in what they share on social media. At the same time, however, I think people struggling with gender issues or sexual identity can find legitimate support online to discuss and explore issues with like-minded people. Such support systems may negate the need for gender switching.

An opportunity for more than one perspective

One area where I have found technology to be useful in regard to gender bias has been in dealing with outdated resources.  As indicated in "Gender Bias in Education" by Amanda Chapman, "far too many of our classroom examples, storybooks, and texts describe a world in which boys and men are bright, curious, brave, inventive, and powerful, but girls and women are silent, passive and invisible." Online access to resources can complement or even replace limited classroom examples. For instance, when I taught ancient history there was always a lot of discussion around the fact that many of the leaders of ancient civilizations were male. Yet a lot of new discoveries in archeology, etc. has painted a different picture in how some of these men ruled, and the fact that while many older textbooks make little if any mention of female rulers, they did exist. With online access, students have the opportunity to be exposed to different historical perspectives and new findings.

In terms of online behaviour, my own observations are limited as many of the courses I teach centre around classroom discussions versus online interaction. However, when students are required to make comments or peer conference online, I find female students are generally more focused and organized. Seldom do I have to remind a female student to complete an online task or add their comments to a discussion.

Does an online discussion allow female students an opportunity to express their opinions which they might not have shared in real time? According to the article "Cross-Gender Communication in Cyberspace" (1994) by Gladys We it apparently does. The article states that "both men and women felt that women had more of a 'presence' online and that it is easier for women to make their voices heard online than in face-to-face conversations..." I think, however, much has changed since this study was done, and I would argue that the opportunity for some to express themselves more freely online might have more to do with personality types than gender. For example, I had one male student who seldom engaged in classroom discussion, but wrote profusely on his blog in a very convincing and commanding manner. I think it had more to do with his personality type than it did his gender.

Feminine Technology?

 I cannot help but include the stubborn "perceived" notions in our society on how females use technology. While I think gains have been made when it comes to gender bias, the male dominance of technology still strongly exists and the old (yet certainly not dead) stereotypes of what it means to be a woman live on in marketing. One example of this comes from Dell which I heard about on CBC's Spark. In 2009 the company marketed a computer system exclusively for women. The "Della"model was available in pink, and Dell provided tips for how women could find information on how to eat better and get recipes online. Oh, and women could track their exercise and food intake too.

Nifty, eh? As Lisa R. Hoffman stated in her article "Gender and the Internet: Sex, Sexism, and Sexuality" (1999), the Internet and gender represent another example of "how the more things change, the more they stay the same."

Lastly, Jessica Ivins discussed designing for women on CBC's Spark, and her slide share on the issue, while massive, is worth checking out. One point she makes is that we should care about what women want because they "make or influence 80% of consumer purchases in the US" and they "spend more time using social media than men do." Of course, as educators, there are a lot of other reasons why we should care what our female students need and want. I think, however, it is clear that what while the area of technology may currently be dominated by men, it has becoming increasingly important to women as well.

Doomsday hype?

Image from morguefile.com

While many of the ideas presented in Dr. J. Weizenbaum's article "Computerized Gods and the Age of Information" are exceptionally interesting and engaging, I cannot suppress the image of someone on the side of the street waving a sign that screams, "The End is Nigh" in splotchy red letters.

Other images that also pop into my mind are mainly from science fiction stories. For example, Dr. Weizenbaum states, "...we have now sent computers into space which will continue to orbit, to make their computations and so on. Soon, according to this apocalyptic vision, these computers will be able to reproduce themselves, and when they do, the human race will have accomplished its purpose."

Perhaps this observation appears to be quite a shocking revelation at first glance, but it was the essence of Star Trek's the Motion Picture's plot in 1979. A space probe essentially reproduces itself for hundreds of year before it finally starts to make its way back home to Earth.

Additionally, Dr. Weizenbaum worriedly states, "But when one accepts...the purpose (if one may use that term at all) of organic evolution is not the perfection and adaption of living organism to their changing environment but rather the perfection and growth of intelligence in the universe, then the extinction of the human race also becomes an acceptable end.

This certainly is a sentiment that is shared with the big bad enemy in some of the Star Trek series. The Borg was introduced to Star Trek fans/geeks back in the late '80s and the collective has continued to assimilate every humanoid in sight as it grows closer to the goal of technological "perfection."

Dr. Weizenbaum's observations also have some similarities to the philosophy of transhumanism. Yet while there are some similarities, transhumanism sees a "brighter future" for the human race where human beings evolve beyond the current human form and human limitations.

Creeped out? Well, apparently we may be evolving just through our day to day interaction with technology. According to Juan Enriquez on TEDTalks, rapid evolution could be happening now. He argues that there could be a rapid evolution of the brain occurring which could possibly be attributed to how much information is processed by a modern human being. We are now trying to take in as much data in a day that, in the past, people would have taken a lifetime to process.

Dr. Weizenbaum provides many thought-provoking ideas. They are certainly ideas with moral implications. Yet while I think his observations are valid, it is important to consider other related notions. Technology could possibly evolve to the point where humankind is no longer important or necessary. However, technology can also continue to work alongside humanity, hopefully improving our health, education, quality of life, etc. There is no doubt that technology has negative effects, but perhaps we also need to look at other aspects of how we live, whether with or without technology, when we consider how we are going to continue and survive on this planet. Technology certainly is related to that existence, but it is, to use an older technological metaphor, only one cog in the machine.

Safely tucked away on the Internet

Photo from:

http://mrg.bz/jrLNPH

Photo from:

http://mrg.bz/jrLNPH

One of the strongest concerns I have when it comes to WEB safety is concerning privacy and online presence. From my own perspective, I think the importance of privacy and protecting it is something that has been eroding since the advent of social media. I am not a big Facebook user, and I sometimes wonder what my purpose is on Twitter. So perhaps my concerns over privacy are overblown since I really do not fully embrace or appreciate social media. 

However, I have also noticed this concern with other educators at my school. They are troubled by what they hear and see on the Internet. Students posting inappropriate photos of themselves or each other and making rash and rude comments. 

When I asked my grade 12 students in Media Studies 120 if they ever gave any consideration to prospective employers checking out their Twitter or Facebook pages, they were surprised; a rather heated discussion ensued. I told them that sometimes people are asked in interviews to provide their Facebook password. This resulted in an even greater heated discussion. Suddenly, privacy was important to them. 

The irony of social media is that a lot of people who participate in it like the idea of others knowing what they do or what they think, but then they are suddenly shocked that anyone would care enough to actually check out what they do or what they think. 

Privacy is a very complex and complicated notion made even more confusing and overwhelming with the Internet. With international boundaries and Internet servers stationed all over the globe, many organizations and businesses are concerned with what can be done with their data and whether it infringes on their rights back home. Even in our own school district we have been dealing with privacy issues because we are using a certain software product, and the data is stored on servers in the United States. This forced us to code student names, since how online data can be assessed by the United States government violates the privacy rights of Canadian citizens. 

There is the temptation for educators to make these observations and suggest that, really, what can they do? These privacy issues are concerns that everyone is grappling with across developed countries. Additionally, we have filters at school and, in regard to computer use, students cannot even access most social media sites during class time. But the reality is that most students are accessing social media all the time with smartphones. Whether educators want to admit it or not, it is happening a lot right in their own classrooms.  

We cannot solve the world's problems concerning data storage and privacy rights, but we can at least make students more aware of the issues and help them to think twice about what they are posting on their social media profiles. We can also make them aware of the commercialization of the Internet and how much of what they do is tracked, and give them opportunities to think critically about what are the actual objectives of these sites that give so much free space for people to talk about themselves and about each other. 

Students are going to use social media, and I think we have to get away from the idea that social media is evil. We can brand anything the way we want, but we cannot deny that there are benefits and positive spin-offs to using social media. It can be a force for good; it does give people a dynamic medium for their causes. That in itself can be very empowering. As educators, we can provide students with examples of how sites like Facebook and Twitter have been used for the good of society. 

By exposing students to the positive examples and the possibilities of what they could do with the Internet, we are also bringing in other concerns of the negative, such as cyber bullying and how students can contribute either positively or negatively with their online presence. 

Another concern that I think is paramount is how easily young people can be exposed to online pornographic material. According to Mediasmarts.ca, by the age of twelve, "nearly half of Canadian adolescents have encountered online pornography, usually by accident." Last semester my media studies class and I had the opportunity to view CBC's Doc Zone episode on Sext up Kids. One focus of this documentary was new evidence that indicates that "teenage exposure to aggressive hard-core pornography is changing the way boys perceive relationships." An educator who was interviewed in the documentary feels that it is an issue that is not discussed enough with teenagers. He sees it as the elephant in the room that nobody wants to address.

It would appear that teenagers agree with his observation. According to www.bewebaware.ca, "kids say that efforts should be made to teach them...decision-making skills that help them make good choices and avoid inappropriate material online."

Some of the observations my own students made were also interesting. Playing the devil's advocate, I asked them if the documentary was sensationalizing the idea that girls are sexualized at a younger age. Most of the female students (and some male students) strongly disagreed, indicating that they themselves, at the young age of 17 and 18, cannot get over how clothing has changed and become more sexualized for girls as young as six and seven years old. 

There are many opportunities for educators to discuss these issues with students, particularly in middle and high school. However, while I think most educators are willing to accept the challenge of teaching media and Internet literacy, many may be uncomfortable in dealing with issues such as sexualization and pornography. It would be beneficial for educators to have the opportunity to attend professional development sessions where they can learn ways to approach these subjects with students and devise strategies so they are comfortable in having discussions in their classrooms. 

I think this may apply to many Internet safety issues. Some teachers are active Internet users while others may not be. Having opportunities to bounce around ideas and approaches while sharing resources and experiences would greatly benefit the educator and, in the turn, the student. 

I think we should also leave some of the thinking and planning to our students, particularly at the higher grade levels, where we can present information on issues of WEB safety and then challenge them to come up with ways to create awareness and engage their peers or younger students. I have the privilege of teaching at a kindergarten to grade 12 school. Students can create awareness messages for an authentic audience. They can research some of the concerns around Internet safety for a particular age group, decide on an awareness campaign and implement it. 

Filters, blocks and monitoring students are possible ways to improve Internet safety. But involving students in the discussion, providing them with relevant information, encouraging them to think critically about their own Internet use and allowing them the opportunity to research and share what they learned with others can help ensure that, with the advancement of mobile technology and personal devices, when students are not surrounded by filters, blocks or monitors, they can still make the right choices when it comes to Internet safety. 

Technology and Culture Matrix

Click on this link to view the matrix with active links to the sources.