Hughes Chapters 4 - 6 week 6

Hughes Chapters 4 – 6 week 6

Hughes states in chapter 4 on page 107 he is talking about Bill Gates and some things Gates said in particular how education and the workplace will be transformed beyond believe because of technology. Boy, how things are changing!  The school systems are trying to keep up with the Jones’s per se, but because of the lack of funding it is hard to.

When I talk about technology in the school I always think about my attempt to get a Smart Board in my classroom.  I’m a speech therapist, so naturally I was last on the list to be considered for one when all the teachers in the building got theirs.  Well, after 2 years of asking for one, they finally came from central office to put it in my room.  I was so excited to get started and share all this new and fun technology with my kids, but I soon realized that there was one kink in my sudden burst of enthusiasm.  Though they got me a Smart Board, they didn’t have the money to buy me a projector for it, so I would have to wait on that.  Well, needless to say that was about 3 years ago and there is still no projector in the room.  You just gotta love the school system and their thinking!

I enjoyed reading in chapter 5 about the idea of technology and art.  My daughter has always loved to dabble in art, but was always to critical of herself thinking it just wasn’t good enough.  I always tell her art is different to all that behold it nothing is not good enough.  Now with technology she has discovered a new avenue to express herself, and post her creations on tumbler (another social site I’m just not to familiar with)  In the book it talks about how architects, machinist, and artists all work together to improve industrial design.  I can see why they would all work together, because they all could take away knowledge from the other that improves their specific discipline.  Today technology helps all three of these disciplines, I feel, move into areas they might not of ever felt possible.  For example, in architecture, with computer programs they can calculate what type of material they might need to build something to withstand an earthquake, to what degree might they be able to bend steel or some other material to get the desired look of a building they want.  Artists now can get their work noticed over the internet in minutes to millions of people all over the world. 

Hughes 1 -3 synthesis

What am I learning this week?  I'm confusing myself completely with these blogs!  I realized I have two for some reason and I'm confused as to have I posted - where is my post.  I thought I had already posted my synthesis, but obviously not - so remember to hit the publish button!  I feel that some believe that Hughes is comparing technology to God, but I think it's more just the history of how people felt/believed back then.  They believe that everything good came from God, so since technology is good it must have came from God and bringing us into a new utopia - Garden of Eden.  I don't think technology will actually bring about utopia, more so many problems and issues in the future - sometimes if it seems to good to be true it usually is.

Hughes Chapters 1 -3

I'm enjoying this book much more than Postman - I love history and have enjoyed reading about technology in the past.  Of course, it has not been the technology I once thought of - mills, farming, factories those all were the first technology.  I was also astounding to see that the first time the word technology was used was in 1831, and the first journal for technology wa sin 1959.  I think that with all the advances in technology such as the ereaders, iPads, computers, ect, I forget what the first technology was such as the printing press and the first light bulb.  Boy! we have come a long way!

Dr. Lowell stated in one of his postcasts that Hughes compares technology to God in this book.  I don't necessarily think that he is comparing technology to God, I believe he is just stating facts that years ago people such as the Pilgrams and Indians had such a faith in God that they felt everything they had was a gift from God.  I will try to explain myself a little better, but the way my mind rambles I can't promise any clarity will come about from it!  In the 16th century earlier and later in years people had a strong faith in God.  If their crops needed rain they prayed and if it rained God brought the rain.  I believe that every advancement they made from farming tools to household tools were inspired and granted to them from God.  However, if you sit down and really think about it, God gave the people that invented these items the wisdom to do so therefore they really did come from God in a way.  So, if I have made any sense at all I think Hughes is giving us a good history lesson then comparing technology to God

week synthesis

Have to admit that I'm looking forward to starting our new book!  I'm ready to move on from Postman LOL
Not only from this last week's reading, but from the whole book I've learn a couple of points that I need to work on to help me understand myself and technology better.  I still am trying to look at things differently after grasping the idea that EVERYTHING is technology - our classrooms, tables, books, and possibly even myself.  Maybe it's my age that keeps me muddling this thought over in my head - I didn't grow up with computers, MP3's and the such so, I don't know, I just see these type of items as technology because that has been what it has been called since these type of items since they started coming out.  I also want to make sure that I don't box a child into what they are capable of doing by a number.  I believe that I didn't do this at the beginning of my career, but as time has gone on it seems that that is ALL those high above are worried about, so I too focus on numbers.  It is a shame to limit kids by numbers.

week 4

I think these pas few weeks I am started to learn that things are just not what they might seem to be.  I need to not be so stringent in my thinking and step out of the box every now and then.  When Postman talks about IQ's, statistics, numbers, I started thinking about how much our lifes are ruled by numbers.  We place kids in prgrams - gifted/special ed - based on a number, my daughter is going to college this year and what school she gets into and if she might get scholarship money will be based on a number.  Do these numbers truly show if she can or cannot do the work?  No, although her ACT score is good, she can still get to college and bomb!  My son got a terrible score and the school counselor even told him that he wouldn't be accepted into college because of his low score, however, he is in his second year of grad school so what did that number show?  nothing!  Our jobs depend on numbers - test scores, productivity, ect, but these scores don't give an actual pictures of what many of he kids can do.  They have test anxiety, they come to school hungry and tired, or they listened to their parents fight all night so how in the world could we expect these scores to truly show what the kids are capable of.  Are some of the scores a true picture?  sure, but not all of them and we need to stop taking everything we read or hear as gospel.  I like the idea that maybe this whole book that Postman has written has been like a huge hoax!  What a great thought - it could be - the scary thing is is that there are many like me that since I was told to read this book by a professor, and I consider it a textbook it has to be the truth right?  I've been trained not to question those in authority it is hard for me to change my twisted way of thinking .....but I'm trying

week 3 synthesis

I am learning that I shouldn't take everything so matter of factly.  After reading Dr. Lowell's comment to my previous post I felt upset with myself for being so judgemental.  Times have changed, and what we once saw as filling our minds with usless information - such as video games - needs to be looked at as possibly filling the mind with useful information.  We might not want to admit it, but the future is computers and technology as such.  These children are leanring how to operate systems and expanding their imagination that could possibly create some life saving machine.  Many, including myself, might have seen these children as lazy individuals wasting their time on video games ect, but I need to broaden my mind and see that they are learning as well, learning the mechanics of the future.

Week 3

There are so many different cultures in this world, not only different countries but different sections of the US and breaking it down even further into our own towns.  However, these days its funny that no matter where you are you can see people on their phones texting, listen to music via their iPods  or on laptops - technology is everywhere no matter how affluent or poverished the culture is!! On page 60 Postman says "But the genie that came out of the bottle proclaiming that information was the new god of culture was a deceiver."  I have to agree with this statement.  Although technology is good in so many ways, I feel that it has also disavantaged our society in many ways.  I think of young children who just sit on the couch playing video games and immerse themselves in these fantasy worlds insteach of moving and intereacting with real people.  Many have become obese and I think have lost touch with reality.  I realize their parents are a big part of allowing them to do this, but if their wasn't any video games ect they would have to find another way to get the children out of their hair.  Yes, the internet has given our students/children so many wonderful experiences such as being able to learn about other cultures via interactive webcams, live video cameras, and interactive books, but quite too often it is not used for such, it is more than often used for fun and pleasure which is leading us to a culture of laziness and the need for instant gratification - I know I loose my patience quite often when looking for something on the internet - I want it at my fingertips!!