Growing up, we lived several provinces away from my Grandparents and if we were lucky, we would get to see them every few years. Computers did not yet exist let alone Facebook and YouTube, so we had to rely on the telephone and photographs of our dance recitals and school plays in order for our grandparents to participate in our lives and learning about other places and cultures involved reading about them in books. The whole new world we live in has made staying in touch and actively participating in each other’s lives so much simpler..
As Wesch described in his lecture, now with just a few clicks of a mouse or touch of a screen we can collaborate and participate with total strangers halfway across the world. We have access to information and to people that before would have been unimaginable. During the pandemic these platforms gave us a way to feel connected and to be with people when physically doing so was risky and at times, illegal. In our classrooms, software such as Kahoot or learning activities such as digital escape rooms provide an opportunity to use students’ fascination with participatory culture to our advantage as a tool to engage them in learning, but not all aspects of this new culture that we see in our schools is positive.
The ability to share information or snap a photo in seconds is all too present in our students’ daily lives and school culture.. When I was in school, if you did something silly or embarrassing it would be talked about for a bit and quickly fade, but now these events are immortalized on cell phones, posted to instant messaging apps and internet sites there to be seen by people around the globe for all time. One mistake can follow someone and affect their lives for decades, all because of the desire to fit in and contribute to this participatory culture in a digital world. As a parent of a young daughter, there is so much about the digital age and participatory culture that terrifies me. I don’t know how to protect her because even if we teach her about responsible use, some parents are not and so we will never fully be able to protect ourselves or our children. I can’t help but ask myself, are the positive aspects worth the risk?
Hi Cheryl, it’s crazy how in the past few decades technology has grown and expanded. I had a conversation with my mom awhile back and she said she didn’t even have a cellphone until almost her mid 20s just before I was born. Meanwhile I got my first phone a couple years before I entered high school as I was babysitting so much and needed a way to contact people. I also agree that protecting kids on the internet will remain a long term challenge as social media and technology is still constantly evolving.
I was also in my 20’s when I got my first clunky Nokia phone because i had a lengthy commute for work. Now look where we are!!
Hi Cheryl,
I enjoyed your view of our digital World today. Your childhood is different from mine but coming from a small town I saw a slow approach to technology. My parents still took and printed pictures of everything me and my siblings did as children. I am at the age where I got a phone in middle school and have been addicted to it ever since. I have used technology in my classrooms since I can remember and I also can’t help but think of the risks we and the younger generations might face.
Thank you for your feedback and honesty. It’s a real struggle to find that balance.
Hi Cheryl,
I enjoyed reading your post and can relate to growing up when Facebook and YouTube didn’t exist. I agree that technology has made staying in touch and actively participating in each other’s lives easier because this is my current reality as I can only feel a bond with my family and my partner through technology (face time).
Thank you for sharing your personal experience. It’s great that we are able to stay in touch this way.