Growing Up in a Digital World

The two documentaries, Growing Up in a Digital World and Digital Nation explore the realities of teenagers growing up in today's digital society.  Both films look at the positive and negative aspects of the internet and how it is being used by America's youth.  I found both films very interesting and thought provoking.  Here are some of my reflections on the films:

Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree? Can you multitask? Do you disagree?

Multitasking is an important skill to have in today's fast paced society.  Certain things need to get done quickly and efficiently.  With the advances in modern technology, people have come to expect things immediately and are unhappy when they are forced to wait.  With that said, I also feel there are certain situations that require people to sit and focus on a specific task, to complete it properly.  The distractable nature of multitasking can often lead to careless mistakes and a poor quality product.  In my experiences, less important tasks such as  simple emails to colleagues and messages to friends can be done while multitasking; however, things that require more concentration, such as developing a resume or cover letter, need to be done without distractions.  

Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living?

Yes, I do feel there is a real addiction happening in society with technology.  Working in a high school, I

have seen students break down in tears because they've had their phones taken away.  For them, the thought of just going for a few hours without their phones or internet is unbearable.  In my opinion,  these students, as well as many adults, are addicted to technology.  It is sad to think that their lives are so dictated by things on a screen, instead of real-life relationships and experiences.    From Facebook, to cell phones, to video games, our society is clearly losing touch with the human experience, through the constant use of technology.

Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they just a waste of time?

I think video games can serve as a supplemental tool for education.  They are useful for drilling and practicing things such as math facts and vocabulary.  They can also be used for reinforcing  material presented in class. Video games can engage students;

however, I do not feel that they should be the sole source of instruction.  Games also need to be closely monitored to see what the game is supposedly teaching.  I frequently find students in my class, claiming to be playing an educational game, when they are just messing around on the computer.

Do parents of today have any idea what their kids are doing online?  Whose job is it to teach them internet safety and digital responsibility? Parents/teachers/community/government?

I do not think that most parents know what their kids are doing online.  Like the films showed, the students are much more tech savvy than their parents.  Even when a parent tries to restrict their child's access, the child can often find a way around these restrictions, that the parent doesn't know about.  Because the children are often more knowledgeable about technology, they may feel it is their "right" to be able to do whatever they want on the internet.  In order to effectively teach internet safety and digital responsibility, there needs to be a combined effort from teachers, community members, and especially the parents.  Parents need to be knowledgeable about what their children are doing online and set guidelines.  If the children violate the parameters, there needs to be strict consequences around this.  Teachers and community members will have no impact on students unless there is support from the parents at home.

What are your overall feelings about the films?

I experienced a lot of mixed emotions while watching the films.  As someone who truly enjoys technology and has since a very young age, I can see its benefits in life as well as education.  Despite this, there were several points during the movie that made me a little unsettled.  For example, when the student was talking about "being too busy" to read a book, I was very frustrated.  This is when I think that technology is dumbing down society.  When people feel they are too busy because they have to update their Facebook or sit around playing video games, I do get agitated.  Students in my class will spend several hours a night playing Call of Duty or Skyrim, but they won't even take 30 minutes to read a book or do anything to better themselves physically or mentally.  I feel that much of this is the parents responsibility to deal with at home.  If your child is playing video games all night and getting D's and F's on his or her report card, there needs to be consequences at home.  Perhaps this is just my skewed opinion, but I really feel that parents need to be much more involved with their children's use of technology.

Overall, I think technology can be a great tool in  education and society.  However, I think we all can benefit from taking a step back from technology for a little while and appreciate the world and the people around us.