Sunday, November 25, 2012
GUD - Chapter 1 Reflection
After you have read and taken notes on Chapter 1, "The Net Generation Comes of Age," use one of the current events sources linked at http://mrsfridaysclass.wikispaces.com/Current+Events to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Tapscott's assertions. Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to an issue addressed in chapter 1 of GUD. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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"Christmas Travel with Kids? There's an App for that http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2012/1217/Christmas-travel-with-kids-There-s-an-app-for-that
ReplyDeleteTapscott argues for the Net Generation by laying down his beliefs on the benefits of technology. Therefore, the article "Christmas Travel with Kids? There's an App for that," relates to Tapscott's argument, because it makes holiday travel easy. Thousands of people travel to see family, or just to go on vacation during holiday break. Before, the consumer would have to go to the certain place of ground transportation and wait in long lines, or not have enough money to meet the required fare. However, with the new app TravelNerd, it is the total package of figuring out your ground transportation to and from your respective terminals. The app works to find you the lowest prices possible and the quickest routes when the consumer wants or needs it. Finally, this supports Tapscott's view on technology because it shows the true beneficial power of modern day technology.
"Technology Is Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/education/technology-is-changing-how-students-learn-teachers-say.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
ReplyDeleteIn "Grown Up Digital," Tapscott presents numerous arguments both contributing to the beneficial and detrimental effects of children who have grown up in a technology-filled world. Tapscott explains how many find the children of this generation to have shorter attention spans and are, therefore, harder to teach in some classrooms. However, he presents the argument that children are now able to multi-task and move much faster than their parents who grew up in a society of limited technology. In the article, teachers confess their students' lack of interest in their teachings and how long lectures and previous teaching styles do not seem to work anymore. The teachers, like Tapscott, agree that the technology children possess causes them to want everything faster so long periods of learning are not interesting to them anymore. The teachers say how they now feel like entertainers as well as teachers since they must constantly move around and change their lessons so students are still gaining information and not becoming distracted. However, some teachers from the article refute Tapscott's argument that children can now work much faster and process things at a quicker pace than their parents. Unlike Tapscott, teachers do not see students processing information any faster than before but only wanting the information faster. If there is any type of learning that takes some time to complete, students give up before even beginning to figure something out. Students have what the teachers call the "Wikipedia Problem" in which students want teachers to spoon-feed answers to them. By just typing in a question on wikipedia, students get an immediate answer. When teachers try to make students think for themselves, this then causes the students to become disinterested and give up. Teachers are finding that students take more time to digest information learned in classrooms and many teachers are experiencing an increase in after-school tutoring since students do not learn the information teachers explain in class. This article definitely concurs with one of Tapscott's arguments, but surely goes against another of his.
"The Ripening of Adafruit and the Maker Movement" http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/the-ripening-of-adafruit-and-the-maker-movement/2012/12/20/d18f0ec8-4aad-11e2-8758-b64a2997a921_blog.html
ReplyDeleteTapscott mentions how far technology has come in Chapter 1 of "Grown up Digital." He reflects on technology in older days, including flashbacks to his own childhood and life. On page 30, he compares what technology existed while he was growing up to what we have today to prove just how far technology has come. The article "The Ripening of Adafruit and the Maker Movement," talks about the movement in making new technology. Adafruit Industries is not a company that makes new products, but rather one that sells electronics kits to help others make such products. The article explains that Adafruit has a loyal group of customers. It focuses on how making things is becoming more popular nowadays than buying things. It also mentions that customers of Adafruit create hacking devices that would not be available from a larger company like Samsung or Apple. In the end, it proves the movement in technology by saying that programming, hacking, and just creating electronics are becoming more popular and widely used. This relates to Tapscott's argument that technology is growing by expanding upon that argument and giving examples of exactly how the world of electronics is changing.
Sino-U.S. cooperation in science, technology mutually beneficial: President
ReplyDeletehttp://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90883/7804552.html
Tapscott mentions in the first chapter of "Grown up Digital" the positive and negative effects of the drastic advancements of technology in today's society. Tapscott even directly states that the Net Generation doesn't pay much attention to politics, but Barack Obama managed to capture societies attention through technological devices. Similarly, the article, "Sino-U.S. cooperation in science, technology mutually beneficial: President", accredits technology with being a primary factor in decisions of presidents and how technology and sciences connect foreign countries and their politics. With new technology advances, the foundations of politcs have adapted and technology continues to influence political campaigns and force countries to work together with new plans as proven by both Tapscott and this article.
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ReplyDelete“Put Away That Laptop: Professors Pull The Plug”
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126241853
The article, written by Tovia Smith, states how professors are pulling the plug on laptop usage in their college classrooms. The professors at Bentley College, the first higher education institution to make laptops a requirement in the classroom, are furious. Professor Phillip Knutel says that he can tell when his students are doing that exact opposite of what he intended with the laptops, such as checking their e-mail or shopping on e-bay. This supports the accusation of Tapscott in chapter one, “The Net Generation” of Grown Up Digital, by stating how technology in the classroom often distracts students from the lecture of the teacher. The end of the article goes on to refute Tapscott’s judgment that with technology, students are better multi-taskers. One professor states that she followed the grades of students who came to class but channeled the internet instead of focusing on the teacher and the grades of students who just did not come to class at all. She discovered that the grades were just about the same. Professors in many colleges and universities are beginning to question whether or not laptops are a useful tool during classroom demonstrations. By including laptops, they set their students up for distractions and lesser grades, but by excluding them, they set themselves up for bad student reactions. All in all, this article both supports the information laid out by Tapscott in chapter one of Grown Up Digital and contradicts the information.
"Screen School - Hi-Tech Learning"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.euronews.com/2011/06/03/screen-school-hi-tech-learning/
This article discusses the transition some schools have made to incorporate technology into their curriculum. One teacher mentions that students are working quicker than before because they are stimulated in the lessons from the technology that entertains them. This supports Tapscott's argument that having "Net Geners" actively participate in their technology helps them process information faster than the previous generations could. Also, the article states that in the school that introduced digital whiteboards, students who had a background with video games performed well with them. This adds support to Tapscott's point that "Net Geners" learn with technology. In addition, the article also states that students say they enjoy bringing technology and games into school because it makes learning more fun. In "Grown Up Digital," Tapscott says that the "Net Gen" wants to bring "entertainment and play" into their schools so they can have "a playful mentality." All things considered, this article supports Tapscott's idea that the "Net Geners" learn quicker with entertainment and technology.
"Baby Boom Generation Makes Up Third of Population"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/10/us/baby-boom-generation-makes-up-third-of-population-report-says.html
The article discusses how and what the "Baby Boom" essentially was. The article informs its viewers about how after World War Two there was a spike in birth rates due to a well established economy and because so many soldiers returning to their homes wanting to start a family. The article also discusses how this rise in birth rates has affected schools and employers throughout the country. It says that with the large increase in population their will be overcrowded schools and less jobs available to the public. This article relates to chapter one of "Growing Up Digital" because both the article and the book discuss the "Baby Boom" and why it occured. An example from the text that supports this relationship is when author Don Tapscott says that, "It was a time of great hope and optimism because the Allies had won the war and there was finally peace, and prosperity was taking hold" (Tapscott 12). "Growing Up Digital" shows similarities to "Baby Boom Generation Makes Up Third of Population" because both discuss how how the "Baby Boom" had reached its peak by 1957 and that on average a family had between three and four children. Overall, the article fully supports the first chapter of "Growing Up Digital" and how the "Baby Boom" population affects society now.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/gofigure/2011/04/11/135312499/generational-differences-in-internet-usage
ReplyDelete"Generational Differences in Internet Usage"
Throughout the first chapter of growing up digital, Tapscott argues that technology rather than hurting the current generation, or net geners, that it is actually enhancing them. Net Geners are more advanced than any other generation, due to being born into technology. Baby boomers have a difficult time grasping the concept of technology besides the television, according to Tapscott. Tapscott also argues that this generation is more equipped to handle life this way. Tapscott states that collaboration is occurring rapidly causing work production to increase magnificently. This is showing the net geners powerful work ethic and determination to increase productivity. The article states facts about internet and technology users today and the differences between them. The article relates back to what Tapscott's argument by supporting that net geners use much more technology but, the article seems to be bashing the thought of it. Tapscott would conclude the author as ignorant.
"Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction
Don Tapscott, like any unmistakable intellectual, sees both sides of the argument. Throughout his first chapter, he plays devil's advocate, speaking for both sides of one of today's most prevalent issues: Do the benefits of our rapidly growing technology really outweigh the detrimental effects such machines have on children? Though somewhat unbiased, Tapscott's end view is clear: yes.
Like Mr. Tapscott, the EDUTOPIA staff, whose website and referenced article are linked above, goes affirmative on this issue. In their article, they bring up several pro arguments, including the enhancements given to learning by way of technology, such as catching graphics. This aspect of learning is gaining more and more importance, as the learning generation becomes less focused, with more of a need to constantly be involved.
Both sources argue their beliefs particularly regarding the good that technology does for the younger, learning generation, contrasting, and overshadowing, the harmful.
"Taking Power Through Technology in the Arab Spring"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/09/2012919115344299848.html
In the first chapter of "Grown Up Digital", Tapscott touches on the ability of TV and internet to create a "real time alternate world". They can exaggerate events and cause unrealistic expectations for the viewers. Taking time out of the day just to go into this desired realm of perfection that feels so close by. In the news article, the author describes how connected the internet allows the other side of the world to feel. Similar to the ideas from the book, the article shows how this can both twist or augment reality. An example that is described includes the description of the “Innocence of Muslims” video that caused an outrage felt toward the disinterest from the west toward the Arabs. Therefor, none of the revolts and outbreaks would have happened without the internet's viral exposure. The article and the book both support the idea that technology allows connection around the world and can alter the ultimate view of reality.
"Age Gap Narrows on Social Networks"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/27/business/media/27drill.html
In Tapscott's first chapter of "Grown Up Digital", he defines three distinct generations. The "Boomer Generation" was the population surge after World War II that first delved into technology. Next was "Generation X" which was less populated but showed greater intelligence. Last was the "Net Generation" which, according to Tapscott, is the most attached to the internet and technology. Tapscott elaborates on occurrences where Net Geners blow members from other generations out of the water with their technologic based skills because so many have been utilizing the internet. He also claims that Net Geners will always remain superior to the other generations because of when the internet was introduced to them, this article shows disagreement. Polls in May of 2010 showed a sixteen percent increase in social networking by people ages 18-33, but showed that those who were 45 and older doubled their involvement in social networks. The article also mentions that people ages 74 and older increased participation by four times the original percentage. Net Geners are undoubtably the most skilled with the internet, but many members from older generations are quickly catching on and going against Tapscott's claims.
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ReplyDelete"Hurricane Sandy Reveals a Life Unplugged"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/fashion/hurricane-sandy-reveals-a-life-unplugged.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
In the first chapter of “Grown Up Digital”, Don Tapscott argues that the Net Generation is the generation most connected with technology. He states that the children and young adults from this generation are more technologically savvy, and their entire generation is defined by the computer and the internet. Tapscott also compares and contrasts these children from their parents, and he believes that members of the Net Generation are wired differently than their parents. This chapter relates to the major power outages that occurred after the devastation of hurricane Sandy. In this article, several parents share their experiences with trying to manage their children without power. Many parents believed that removing technology from their kids was a positive influence, but this refutes Tapscott’s idea that technology is a good influence for children. Also, in many of the experiences shared in the article, parents felt that they were just as technologically savvy as their children, which also refutes Tapscott’s thoughts. However, many of the children were going insane without technology, which relates to Tapscott’s ideas because he states that children of the Net Generation are wired to their technology.
"Rethinking How We Teach The 'Net Generation'"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/2011/07/14/137853462/rethinking-how-we-teach-the-net-generation
In the first chapter of Don Tapscott's book, "Grown Up Digital", he states that the Net Generation has grown up differently compared to every other generation. Tapscott believes that the main cause of this difference is technology. Technology advanced immensely during the time these Net Generation kids were growing up, causing their brains to be wired disparately. This effected their social,educational, and home lives. In this article, the author argues that colleges and universities need to alter the way they've been teaching their students by incorporating technology into their studies. One way they could do this is by having online lectures so that students can learn from home. In addition, they could put worksheets online on a website rather than having them in paper form. By incorporating technology, the Net Generation students will learn faster and more efficiently. This article reinforces Don Tapscott's argument in "Grown Up Digital" that since the Net Generation brains have been wired differently, they should be taught in another way.
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ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/us/politics/social-networks-affect-voter-turnout-study-finds.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1358791386-PF1bYPkmju1o8W5ZhXksXw
ReplyDeleteIn the first chapter of "Grown Up Digital", the author Don Tapscott goes into a little detail on how the Net Generation is the "Global Generation". He says this is due to social media, because social media, an example would be Facebook, can connect you to anyone across the globe. This article, "Social Networks affect voter turnout." enforces this because its states that people across world, exactly 61 million of all Facebook users, on Election Day 2011 got a message saying "get out the vote". This proves that one person can connect with people across the hemisphere.
"Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction
The first chapter of “Grown Up Digital” Tapscott goes into detail about how his generation the “boomers” grew up completely different form how this current generation is. He touches on how the technology they had then to what we have now has grown immensely. He thinks that technology is a factor of why our generations are so different. In this article, they touch on how schools are lagging in their efforts to incorporate as much technology in the classroom. Its important they say to utilize technology everyday in the classrooms because it is how this generation of children learns best. The online world provides the students with interesting, diverse and current learning materials. Using technology helps students stay engaged and on task. This is shown to reduce the lack of attention loss. Students of this generation tend to learn and comprehend more when using technology in an everyday classroom environment. This comes back to restate Tapscott’s statement that the Net Geners are desperate when it comes to technology.