thoughts on technology (blogpost#1)

I don't dislike technology. I tend to use what I'm comfortable with and ignore what I don't care about. I consider myself open to new things, but I don't seek them out.

My main concern with technology is that I feel like it is becoming a distraction and (big generalization) breeding lazy people. Everyone is so focused and concerned with instant information.. myself included. By providing instant information, I think sometimes, that we lose the education and learning process of actually finding the information. I think technology needs to be a compliment to education, not used in place of education. My mother works at a science/technology magnet elementary school in Indianapolis. They (whoever) boast that all 5th graders leave knowing how to create a PowerPoint, but the reality of the situation is, many leave reading below a 5th grade reading level.

I think people may be recognizing that the educational system is failing them. Not too long ago, Dean Lewis sent out a link to a youtube video, an amateur video made by students about the educational system. The one comment/critque sent back about the video complained about the soundtrack, the lack of statement as to who the audience was, the obscure message. Here's the link: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o). That critique entirely missed the point. I think the point of the video is that students themselves are recognizing that priorities are misaligned, that they are distracted, and that there is a fundamental problem that needs to be addressed. I'm not blaming it on technology. But, I can't help but think that priorities are in the wrong place.

I am looking forward to learning about and using new technology, actually. Don't let my post mislead you. It just seems inevitable that this problem, if not addressed, won't go away; it might just get worse.