WWW- Week 8
I want to start this week’s blog by addressing the alternative prompt. I have shown The Social Dilemma in my classroom more times than I can count. I first watched the documentary in my previous Ed Tech class, and I have been using it ever since. Below I have included a link that I have used to help guide my lessons. Additionally, I created a video guide and if you are interested, I would be happy to send you what I have.
https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/educators/
Every time I re-watch the documentary with a class I am reminded of the dangers of social media or Web 2.0. The documentary opens its viewers to a behind the scenes look at the decision’s companies like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest make to attract, retain, and monetize users. It shows how those calculated choices can manipulate and control their users. In part, I think there is a lot of fear mongering throughout the documentary, but overall, it paints a very realistic and accurate picture of what can happen when using these sites. I use the documentary to teach about digital literacy and skills my students need to be mindful Web 2.0 users. I always get mixed reactions from my students. Some are deeply affected and immediately act, for example, turning off notifications (except for Snap Chat *eye roll*). Other students could not be bothered and say they know all of this is happening and do not care.
https://thetab.com/uk/2020/09/16/the-social-dilemma-memes-netflix-175160
I remain conflicted on my views of Web 2.0 or the social web. I share most of my life on Instagram. I think what I struggle most with is that we all share the “good stuff” and none of the bad. My page is dedicated to my three favourite things in life, fishing, travelling, and my dog (husband somewhere in there too). I share the positives and negatives of fishing and travelling, but when it comes to my personal life, I keep that more secretive. I hate this. I think societally we are creating an alternate reality where everything is sunshine and rainbows when it is not. I would say I have developed an extensive tool kit to navigate social media. FOMO, fear of missing out is something that I struggle with. I have enough self control to recognize when I feel insecure, jealous, or anxious to put my phone down and take a break. I do not think a lot of my students have that ability. Sometimes it feels like everything is changing so fast I can not keep up. As a millennial, growing up with technology, I should be able to adapt and evolve with emerging technologies, but there is just so much, and I already feel out of the loop.
“The web influences people’s way of thinking, doing and being, and people influence the development and content of the web. The evolution of the web from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and now to Web 3.0 can be used as a metaphor of how education should also be evolving, as a movement from Education 1.0 toward that of Education 3.0. The Web, Internet, Social Media, and the evolving, emerging technologies have created a perfect storm or convergence of resources, tools, open and free information access.” (Jackie Gerstein)
What impact does the shift to Web 3.0 have on education? I think the shift has a huge impact on education. Web 3.0 will impact teachers practices and how, when, where, and what students learn. Webster’s study of technological assumptions yielded this quote, “technology is always changing, and you must change with it or you will be left behind”. Following this quote was the figure pictured below. I catch myself trying to incorporate technology in the classroom because I feel it is required of me. As I mentioned before, I already feel like I am falling behind, how am I possibly going to keep up with Web 3.0?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313390619_Philosophy_of_Technology_Assumptions_in_Educational_Technology_Leadership
Ken Yarmosh excellently explains the difference between Web 1.0, 2.0. Web 2.0 is user created, the cloud, social media, apps, everything that I am familiar with and know how to use. In regard to Web 2.0, Ken stated big tech is only as valuable as the users they have and that we need to re-evaluate our relationships and examine if giving up so much of our personal data is worth the benefits tech companies provide. I immediately thought of the Social Dilemma and quote “if you are not paying for the product, then you are the product”.
https://www.creativeequinemarketing.co.uk/2020/09/29/the-social-dilemma-our-takeaway/
The web can be a scary place when you do not understand how to use it. I know plenty of seniors (my deceased grandma included) who got caught up in scams and lost thousands of dollars in the process. Listening to this week’s presentation I found it easy to follow and understand Web 1.0 and 2.0 and then felt a bit lost for Web 3.0. After watching Ken Yarmosh’s video, I still do not fully understand Web 3.0. If I do not keep up and understand this next generation of the web am I at risk of scams? If I do not understand how Web 3.0 works, how will this impact my life and my teaching career? Crypto currency and NFT’s; I think it is going to take me some time to wrap my head around the direction the Web is taking.
Anyone else caught in this scary, confusing metaphorical web?
Nikki – great post! I am on the same page as your when it comes to technology incorporation in my classroom – because it is expected of me and the pressures from other teachers in our buildings who are taking the time to learn these skills. I would be all for this integration if we were provided more PD time, funding, opportunities and not that learning how to use these programs on our personal time outside of school… Some are willing to do this (all the power to them), but when I leave school my focus goes to my 10 month old son and wife! I am worried that with the emergence of Web 3.0 this is going to change and we will be required to put more time in outside of school to keep up!