When it comes to technology, I'm in the category of "bit of a puzzle, but I keep working at it;" this comment is from one of the articles on our course's syllabus. Although I don't like the stuggle it takes to master technology, my primary concerns are keeping my privacy and having to wade through alot of material that is promoting products or capitalist ideology.
For, example, when creating this blog, I was asked for my birthdate. I was asked to provide the information without any explanation of how it will be used. This does not allow me to be an informed consumer, nor does it allow me refuse some information if I do not want to provide it. While it may be that the information is for a seemingly benign purpose, such as marketing, this is unacceptable to me as a critical thinker.
Also, I am concerned about how much critical analysis is being presented in blogs. From my limited observation, it is necessary to wade through alot of mundane, inaccurate, or simply dull content to find new information, unique perspectives, challenges to my thinking, or other meaningful pursuits.
Why would anyone want to read this editorial either?
I'll read your blog because I want to know what you have to say. And, if I feel that reading it is worth my time, I'll continue to read it the same way I would read any writer's works that I appreciate. I agree that most of us kiss a lot of frogs before finding that prince, but once we find him, the search proves worthwhile. I think it's true of blogs as well.
ReplyDeleteMary I share your concerns about "promoting" and privacy. As a victim, twice, of identity theft, I want to know where all this info is going and to whom. The promoting is just aggrevating and I try to ignore it. The reality is these technologies are what our students are learning, often without prompts from school. I don't necessarily agree that we need to buy into all these tecnologies to reach our students, although I do believe some are valuable, useable, and even exciting. Sometimes just knowing what our students are talking about or using to communicate helps us relate to them. I'm still a face-to-face type person but Ifeel we need to meet our students where they are at and then offer them the opportunity to go beyond their comfort level. Isn't that why we are in this class-- to go beyond our comfort level?
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