What Happened to Carrier Pigeons?

My childhood was full of fast paced technological changes. I experienced the changes from:

• home phones to flip phones to smart phones
• VHS tapes to DVDs to streaming services
• box TVs to flat screens to projectors
• mailed letters to emails to text messages
• crank windows to automatic windows in cars

and so many more technological advancements that have occurred throughout the 21st century.

An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube

In the video above, Wesch discusses how technology and social media have provided a platform for higher amounts of media to be available. He points out that the larger volume and access to media encourages collaboration of knowledge and creativity. However, he explains that the most important element of media, is how it links people together and creates a community that was not previously possible.

Classrooms & Schools

The accessibility and use of technology and social media have changed classroom and school environments. As stated in the article, Teens, Social Media and Technology, teenagers are using technology and social media at higher rates than ever before. As well, the social media platforms being used by teenagers continues to shift towards Youtube and Tiktok which is different from what teens  were using a decade ago. As stated in the lecture slides from this week: on average, children are 10.3 years old when they get their first phone and 11 years old when they sign up for their first social media account. Social media is not just present in high schools, but also in our elementary schools.

Some of the risks related to technology and social media include:

• cyber bulling
• influencer culture
• exploitation of minors
• fake news
• how algorithms curate media
• impacts of ai

What this means, is that as teachers, we need to engage students in learning opportunities that use technology to promote digital literacy. When students have digital literacy, they have a tool box to help keep them safe online. As teachers, we need to be aware of the media platforms our students are using to ensure that our school related instruction is relevant to their prior knowledge. As teachers, we also need to be mindful of the students we are teaching and their socio-economic positions. Families with lower household incomes are less likely to have access to smart phones, computers, and gaming consoles. This statistic directly impacts students that we teach, and therefore needs to be a factor in how we introduce technology in the classroom.

As technology continues to advance and be even more intertwined within our personal and professional lives, it is crucial that classrooms and schools are taking on the roll of teaching students digital literacy and how to engage with technology safely and meaningfully. This mindset and shift will help to prepare students more for their future success.