Session 2 Blog: Views on Technology and Social & Communicative Aspects


Source:www.business2community.com/cybersecurity

Since we watched the video Web 2.0…The Web is Us/ing Us, I have been thinking about the relationship between media technology and communication content. Do we human beings define the way that the machine operates, or the technology is taking control of us? As the famous phrase puts, “the medium is the message”(Marshall McLuhan, 1967), I agree that the technologies somehow define the pattern people perceive information and how we give feedbacks. However, it doesn’t mean that we cannot adapt and use technology for our own freely determined purposes. The development of web 2.0 empowers everyone with the ability to create communication content in diversified forms, yet it also requires that we should be able to deal with the overwhelming fragmented information. Therefore, it is necessary for us to think about how we use the technology in social and communicative practice.

After reading the paper Technology as Social Practice, I take notice of the role that technologies playing in educational practice. In this passage, Bruce points out that “the problem we face today is that students do not have access to this technology, and when they do, they do not have the skills to use it effectively”(Bruce,2). While it seems that this question based on the judge that computers are a benign technology, which is not always true. Thinking of a young child today who has problems with his homework, it is convenient for him to type the key words in searching engine like Google and get the answer within seconds. Technology sometimes leads to the lose independent and initiative mind in educational practice, which may have negative influence on educational and cultural development in the long term. That is to say, it is of much importance to learn how to use and adjust technology in social relations in a mutually constituted view.

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 12, 2017 at 6:45 PM

    I think that the learning process of how to use and adjust technology in social relations is kind of media literacy. Do you agree with that? I also mentioned similar opinions in my blog, maybe you can check for that:)

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    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 13, 2017 at 1:04 PM

      Yeah I agree that the issue is related to media literacy, and it comes to a big question of how to educate the public and make them equipped with higher level of media literacy. I also visit your blog and leave some comments~

      Delete
  2. UnknownSeptember 12, 2017 at 7:31 PM

    I agree on your point that sometimes technology can bring new social and educational problems instead of solving existing ones. However, I am wondering whether it is possible to foreseen the future. Can we predict whether a new technology X will bring more harms or solve more problems? If we need to consider the social impact when developing new technologies, will this hinder the speed of human development?
    Mengqi Zhou

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 13, 2017 at 1:09 PM

      I think this question is kind of complicated since every coin has two sides, and the key point for us is how to use those technologies with a scientific attitude. After all, I keep a positive attitude towards the development of new technology.

      Delete
  3. Shuai YuanSeptember 13, 2017 at 8:01 PM

    Interesting discussion on the downside of Edtech in terms of its convenience. I think that's why we generally talk about Edtech instead of technology. Because technology is neutral word indicating everyone can utilize it for subjective purpose, whereas Edtech would require more guidance from teachers and parents or artificial intelligence to somehow keep learners in the right track, in this case, being reminded of the rules of using technologies. So Edtech will not only simply give the students WiFi connection and google engine to help them solve the problems. Instead, it will strive to either provide students with pre-designed instructions or prevent inappropriate acts when it's necessary. Thus, I don't consider Google a Edtech but simply a tool, namely, the technology.

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