Danger of the Digital Age

An email with the subject line "Danger of the Digital Age" sent  12/7/06 7:50 PM goes to show that not every young person is a technology enthusiast...

Hi Doug,

I just finished reading "Dangers and Opportunities: Challenges for Libraries in the Digital Age" and I felt compelled to send you a message. I'm 18 years old, attending  ...  College in  ... Canada. I'm in my first year going into the profession of teaching and majoring in English.

The role of future technology in the classroom scare me. I just finished a required course .... which is about technology integration in the classroom. The textbook describes many things that you talked about in the paper to do with digital backpacks, internet watches, etc. The e-book is my greatest fear. My goal is to teach junior high Language Arts and I have some personal goals in mind to satisfy technological requirements (which are now in the curriculum and known as ICT objectives) but at the same time teach my future students how to be human, as opposed to the walking robots that the textbook describes.  I dream of my classroom as being a place where I can instil my passion for handwriting and reading into the minds of my class.

I remember learning how to handwrite in grade 4, and that was the last I ever heard of it. By junior high my peers were quited in saying that they had forgotten about handwriting, let alone how to handwrite. I want to take time in class at the end of the day to write journals, in response to critical thinking questions, that will be handwritten. If my students need help with their handwriting then I will help them.

I cannot stand being classified into the Internet generation, or the digital generation or whatever they're calling us now. I'm still trying to figure out my own personal ethics towards technology, but it is definitely leaning towards less computers, more books, and no I-pods or cellphones.

In light of this frightening technology evolution I see teaching as the most important profession of now and the future. I have the opportunity to shape young minds into being passionate about good things and to question new tech gadgets and material goods as the best things going. For this reason, I can't wait to start teaching.

What kind of things can I do now to help save writing and books? Any suggestions? Thanks for your time.
 
sincerely,
Jesse ...

Hi Jesse,

Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I am curious how you found my “Dangers and Opportunities” paper – I had a hard time locating it myself! But I am glad you did.

Good luck on your English studies. I was an English major as well and even taught junior high language arts for 5 years, but I have still managed to retain some small degree of respectability and keep a roof over my family’s head. There is hope in your vocational course.

I don’t share your concern, necessarily, about e-books. In fact, I am really looking forward to day of the practical, affordable e-book reader. Perhaps I am not thinking deeply enough, but does one really gain less by reading a fine Margaret Atwood novel on electronic paper rather than on a cellulose page?  We need to be careful not to confuse the substance with the format, despite McLuhan’s admonition that “the medium is the message.” I state a number advantages to a mature e-book reader here.

Having never had good handwriting and finding keyboarding and the word processor indispensable to my own writing tasks, I’m afraid I don’t share your concern about penmanship either. But others will argue that a handwritten piece differs from that composed on a screen. Perhaps. But to me the difference is not as great as that between the writer who has had good instruction in basic composition, sentence structure, vocabulary, style, etc. and the writer who has not. The difference is not as great between the writer who writes often, purposely, and joyfully as the one who does not. Nor is the difference as great between the writer who has found a personal voice and one who has not.

In my observations of the “net generation” students and their use of technology is that the technology allows them to be more, not less human. The cell phones, social networking sites, chats, IMing, and networked game play allow kids to be more, not less social. Certainly not the “walking robots,” you fear. But YES, always question new gadgets. Learn to use the gadgets to accomplish your deeper goals – co-opt them! (Might your students actually listen to you as a podcast?)

I suspect this was not the response for which you were hoping. Happy to continue the conversation. I am going to share your very interesting letter on my blog with your name and school affiliation removed. If you have an objection to that, please let me know.

Thanks for writing and all the very best,

Doug

And your advice to Jesse? 

Comments

[Graham Wegner]

Make friends with a mad professor (preferably who owns a silver DeLorean) and go for a trip back to those glory days of the 50's and 60's. But don't accidentally take an ipod or mobile phone with you - that could start the exponential change process way too soon.

[Kimberly]

I understand Jess's concern. I love reading and curling up with an e-book just isn't the same. But I would like to give a different perspective.

I have dysgraphia. The physical act of writing is painfull both physically and mentally. Typing eliminates many aspects of my LD. I have several relatives who are dyslexic. Some of them find reading on a computer easier and less painful than reading the printed page. The ability to change the font, font size, font color, or background color make the text more accessible to them.

[Miguel Guhlin]

Doug, i wouldn't change a thing that you wrote, except maybe to add a comma. I agree completely with you that our voices, our humanity overcome the technological barrier--whether it be a pencil, a keyboard, or any tool that we use to construct meaning.

My fear for those who learn penmanship is not that they will fail to realize the benefit of technology. Rather, that they may end up like me, too slow in their thinking to do more than write at the slow pace a pencil or pen provides. And, in our connected world, no man is an island. But then, that was always true.

A fellow scribbler,
Miguel

[Jacquie Henry]

I am truly a beneficiary of "writing" by keyboard instead of by pen/pencil. Anyone who must read what I write benefits as well. I have always envied beautiful penmanship - but could never achieve it. The nuns despaired of me. When I discovered word processing - it was an epiphany. Part of my handwriting problem was that my thoughts ran much faster than my handwriting. All the time I was writing I was in fear of losing my train of thought. Alas - these days I fear losing my keys AND my train of thought. I'd be interested to read more arguments in favor of emphasizing handwriting in schools. I wonder.... Will historians have to study handwriting as a foreign language so they can read handwritten documents - much in the same way they must study Latin or Greek or Old English in order to interpret historical documents? Will there BE any historical documents from the late 20th century on? Perhaps they will have all disappeared into cyberspace - or perhaps they will still be "alive" as abandoned pages on Geocities, or as links on "The Way Back Machine". Will there be any compilations of correspondence from famous personages? Is anyone saving emails? And will those emails be nothing but quick messages ending with TTYL rather than insightful collected handwritten letters saved for the great benefit of generations to come? The world is changing.....

[Doug Johnson]

Posted by request of Jeff Utecht <thinkingstick (at)gmail.com>

Jesse,

Thanks for writing and allowing some of use to respond to your letter. Seeing that you are in college these two questions should be easy to answer and I've always wondered.

1. How many papers do you turn in that are handwritten?
2. How many Professors would allow you to turn in handwritten papers?

I just ask, because I finished my BA 9 years ago now and my MS 2 years ago. In 1999 I don't ever remember turning in a handwritten paper. There is only one teacher at our high school who will except handwritten work, and she would prefer it to be typed...but will accept it.

Whether you want to be or not you are the digital generation. It doesn't mean you have to like digital technology, it's just the world you have grown up in. How many times do you actually write in 'real life' situations? I can't remember the last time I even wrote a check (to be fair I live overseas, and online banking is our world). Other than writing a check the only handwriting you might do is sign your name.

We need to be careful in education not to get caught up in what WE as teachers feel is important, but remember to look at the world these students live in, and prepare them to be successful in it. I'm not saying that writing is not important, just that in this day in age keyboarding and word processing might be more important. I'm trying to think of a job where someone would have to know how to handwrite...and honestly, I can't think of one.

I agree with Doug that the digital network has brought your generation closer together then any generation before it. Think about some of the things students today have been able to do, who they've been able to communicate with. One project right now that you might want to take a look at is the flatclassroomproject as http://flatclassroomproject.wikispaces.com/ think about how these students, half a world away are more human because they get to interact with each other. Or think about the May 1st walkout that was mobilized through myspace ( http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060612/melber ). Whether you agree with it or not, these students are more human, more in touch with each other then any generation before, because of technology.

You are the "Digitial Generation" the "Net Generation" the "Millennials" because that is the time you grew up in. I just wish my generation had a name that meant something. What is Gen X anyway?

Your hearts in the right spot Jesse...whatever you do...do it for the kids!

Jeff

[Linda Behen]

I hate labeling and being labeled too--in fact, as a school librarian, I always have trouble deciding where to place an item that can fit into a couple of categories.

With regards to technology, pop culture, and students, I use technology and pop culture to engage students. They love it when they see that adults know what they know and care about the world in which they live.

For example, when teaching information literacy, I might use "Project Runway" or "The Amazing RAce" to demonstrate how their research steps can be compared to the methods that these reality show contestants complete. It helps them to think more critically and apply methods to many situations.

And, technology creates learning communities where the learning continues beyond the bell at the end of the period. Discussion doesn't need to end.

In our school, our administration allows each teacher autonomy in deciding how best to use technology. We have just begun a tablet one on one program and many of the fears that you mention have been proven not to be a big deal.

Remember that young people are very flexible and able to jump in, out, and back and forth.

I am in my middle 50's and love the new gadgets and time saving advantages of technology. Maybe you just need to find the right ones for you and leave the others.

Try reading my book, Using Pop Culture to Teach Information Literacy: Engaging a New Generation, to get some ideas on how to engage your students with pop culture and technology.

Good Luck, LInda

[Kenn]

I was considering removing all paper from my high school technology class - all my handouts would be PDF files, and all assignments turned in would be electronic. After reading a number of similar articles, I will continue to require hand-written assignments.
I disagree with those who state that it was (or is) difficult to learn to write neatly.Make it a requirement, and allow students to correct their messes.

[Susan Funk]

Students and teachers need to be able to make good choices about the media they use and the audience they are trying to reach. We live in a world with multiple media choices. Some of the choices will be ones which suit some of the students better than others. When we step into the real world, we make the choices we need to when wanting to get out our message to others. In school, we need to teach and learn about the choices that there are and use the media that suit the purpose. I am a graduate student learning about 'new literacies'. I have a new and rarely visited blog which I write. I write papers and I am working on my thesis. I write notes and Christmas cards. I use many different kinds of media and choose the one that suits my purpose.

Recently, one of my professors had her spouse die. She received an email from a niece and a home made card from a nephew. The niece, who was older, had written using text speak. The nephew had printed by hand into his card. As an older recipient of the condolenses, she had to have her teenaged neighbour translate the email so that she could understand the message. Audience is important. In school, we can not ignore the new choices that students have. We need to engage in the conversation about the 'affordances' (see Gunter Kress) each media has and making good design choices.

Sometimes I handwrite (poorly but legibly) because I feel like the feelings flow more easily in that format, sometimes I type because I can cut and paste and save. Sometimes I blog for a larger (I hope) audience. For everything, there is a season...

Susan Ens Funk

[Pat Carson]

As someone who failed handwriting in 3rd grade at a Chicago Catholic elementary in the 1950's, I'm a big fan of electronically doing everything.

It's just the way it is.....At least people in my family can read what I send them now.

[astephens]

I enjoyed reading Jesse's letter and your response; however, there was one point that I got hung up on...

"I just finished a required course .... which is about technology integration in the classroom. The textbook..."

Does anyone else find it comical that the course about technology integration is being taught from a textbook... :)

[Jude]

I'm almost 52 years old. I started printing everything in 10th grade when a teacher counted a word as misspelled because she misread my handwriting. My handwriting was okay, but I could print faster and more legibly. I also type over 100 words per minute. My 12-year-old types 51 WPM. Why should we write when we can type? I print things by hand when I'm away from a computer, but otherwise, everything is typed.