Frand's Ten Characteristics of the Information-Age Mindset
This article was interesting in that it put into words, thoughts I have had about technology and its development and its infiltration into my life. You could tell the article was dated because it spoke of how the cellular phone, Palm Pilot and lightweight laptop will be commonplace in just a few years. I'd say we are here!!
#1 Computers Aren't Technology
I'm more 'in' than 'out' with this one in that, I resist something technologically new, but will force myself to acclimate to it. I am fortunate in that our school system supports the technology movement and holds regular workshops on how to use it in our classrooms.
I; however, have to work at it to learn it, whereas, my kids just pick it up and seem to know how to use it.
When we first got the Wii, we got a StarWars game with it. After 20 minutes of reading the instruction manual on how to play the game, my husband handed to me and said, "You figure this out." As I was desperately trying to understand it so my kids could begin to enjoy the newfound toy, the boys were already immersed in their game, laughing and having fun. I threw that book away. They had already figured out which buttons did what. I was amazed!!!
#2 Internet is Better Than TV
I am 'out' with this one. I am a devoted Seinfeld fan and watch the episodes on the tv as I prepare dinner. I'm halfway watching them because I'm into cooking the meal and because I know all the lines by heart. So, I can 'multitask' and catch a laugh at the same time.
I do watch clips on youtube that pertain to my lessons or use Safari Montage, provided by our school system, but I don't have time to sit at the computer and surf for news. I have a family to care for, lessons to plan and classes to take. Sitting at the computer takes time that I don't have. Television news can run in the background while I get dressed in the morning or while I'm doing laundry. So, TV is better than internet for me, unless I am specifically searching for something, usually related to planning a lesson.
I think I'm 'in' enough to use the internet very effectively to search for topics of interest relating to life in general as well.
#3 Reality is No Longer Real
I believe this is true. I have spoken to my own children about this and actually taught a lesson on it in my reading classes. Anyone can put anything on the internet and we have to be intelligent or cautious enough to distinguish between the two.
As time and technology have progressed, so has our ability to know which material is valid and which may be untrustworthy.
Regarding receipt of email, it's gotten so, if you don't recognize the sender, don't open it; much like a knock at the door and you look through the peep hole before you open the door.
#4 Doing Rather Than Knowing
With such easy access to the internet, I get a little overwhelmed with all the information myself. Whether I'm researching a topic or looking for ideas for a lesson, it seems that there is so much available that I get very distracted and end up clicking on things that are irrelevant and wasting time.
I need to funnel my focus! In 'in' on this one.
#5 Nintendo Over Logic
I'm in with the Logics on this one. I will read a manual as I experiment with something new. I like step-by-step clear, concrete directions as I 'play' around with whatever is new. I feel 'safer' having those logical directions and I am uncomfortable taking the risks the Nintendo people take.
I can safely be a temporary Nintendo person in the confines of a workshop with a qualified TRT from our school system. :) As long as I have those step-by-step directions, I'm okay.
For this class, I have printed out every assignment to have in front of me as I complete the steps. In addition, in the past, I took my first online course through the University of Phoenix. I was so uncomfortable with the online textbook, I printed out the entire text just so that I could highlight with my marker.
This type of practice is so engrained that I was reluctant to give up my textbook and highlighter. Just a note: I wouldn't do that now. :)
#6 Multitasking Way of Life
As I am answering to these characteristics, I am finding a lot of overlap from other characteristics.
As most Moms probably believe, they are multi-taskers the day their child comes into their lives, if they weren't before they had kids. Like I mentioned earlier, I can watch Seinfeld, cook and do laundry at the same time. This not an entirely new concept; however, regarding multitasking with technology, I think I would explode! I'm 'out' for this one.
The noise alone would drive me crazy with the computer sounds, tv sounds, texting sounds, etc all at once. The use of technology requires way too much of my concentration for me to be using more than one form of it at a time.
#7 Typing Rather Than Handwriting
This is a lost art. Quite frankly, there is nothing nicer than getting a handwritten note in the mail. A sad example is this: Last week while administering the PSATs to a group of freshmen, a portion of the tests asks that the kids write, in cursive, an honor pledge and sign their names. The scribing of three sentences took 20 minutes and several students admitted that they didn't know how to write in cursive. Does this mean we no longer have to have a signature, individual to our hands?
However, we do live 'faster' now and handwriting is from a 'slower' time in history. A thank-you email is very commonplace now from the mom of a child whose birthday your son attended last week. Sometimes life is just too fast. I think it's pretty clear, I'm 'out' with this one.
#8 Staying Connected
I have a pretty strong opinion on this. Staying connected is a good thing in small doses and for different reasons. Email is great in the field of education. Making a ton of parent phone calls is extremely time consuming when just checking in (when teachers are short on time anyway); however, a brief email can cover the same material and necessary communication in a short amount of time.
Facebook is a funny concept to me. I think it's been great to find people I haven't seen since high school and to reconnect with them. It's interesting to see everyone's viewpoint regarding the election. It's neat to see informational videos that are posted. It's hilarious to see the humor of some posts.
I don't have an appreciation for seeing what people are eating at a restaurant and I have not been able to figure out why people think we want to see a picture of their meal or their beverage of choice.
I think Facebook has given everyone that feeling of their 15 minutes of fame. I know, I am so old-fashioned. Many times, I think of responding to a post or comment made. I'll actually start typing, but then think better of it because, who cares?
Many people rely on that connection for their professions. That's great and it's a great marketing tool. But, as for being connected, I like to just be connected with my family once I get home in the evening.
At school, I stay connected with parents, teachers and students via email and the good-old fashioned way---handwritten notes and personal communication.
I'm 'out' with this one too. I am connected, but not to the extent that many people are.
#9 Zero Tolerance for Delays
This is a funny one too. I would typically consider myself a patient person but when I have to wait for a page to load, it drives me crazy. When you think about it, it's really just seconds. To cope, I usually have a book nearby and read a page of the actual paper book while waiting for the virtual page to pop up.
On the Mondays at school, after the county does a technology 'push' over the weekend, things can load a little slowly. I find myself rolling my neck around and itching for something to do while I wait. It's sort of created a monster!!!
Students are so used to doing research on the computer and getting facts with a few clicks on the keyboard. If they have to look something up, it frazzles the nerves.
I do a dictionary activity with my students and actually teach them about guide words and parts of speech and alphabetical order and all of the other cool things found in the dictionary. I have to do this because, when they don't know a word, they open up www.dictionary.com, type in a word and voila!!!! They have a definition.
A lot can be missed in the name of speed.
#10 Consumer/Creator Blurring
Since the publication of this article, MLA and APA have created guidelines for citing online works. Our teachers are very strict about plagiarism and the proper citing of online material used.
I agree with this and am on the 'in' side of this. It's proper and just to cite the works of someone else when using their material in a paper.
I think it's important to have an idea, in general, about the ever evolving field of technology and what is available. If your career depends on it, then it's critical to be knowledgeable and confident in exploring new concepts. I am afraid of all of this technology because I have found it to be reliably unreliable.
During SOL testing last year, a squirrel chewed through a line and we were down for two days of testing until the company figured out what it was and fixed it. When it's mandated that students have to take these tests, it should be infallible. I am really uncomfortable storing stuff in this 'Cloud'. It's ignorant, I know. But, I like to have my stuff on my computer and on my drives. I'm not sure it will always be there and hackers are always lurking.
I covered a French class yesterday consisting of 9th and 10th graders. Once the students finished their assigned work, I asked a few to take this survey. I was surprised by the results and I believe that the 'texting' question was heavily weighted because the one boy that doesn't text, scored in the 'Silent' range.
The students scores ranged like this: 11, 53, 78, 79, 83, 84, 88, and 93. Each student was under 18. The covered the gamut!! I think I scored pretty well in comparison. I can hang with these high school kids!!! :) Although I am considered a Gen X, I am in the Millenial Generation.
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