Week 9 - Some daily frustrations of a neo-luddite at University.

My fictional neo-luddite is called Sophie …

After waiting around for 20 minutes on her own for a print out of her timetable, Sophie went off to her first seminar. Unlike everyone else, Sophie couldn’t access her timetable online because she didn’t know how to. As she walked through campus she heard groups of people laughing and joking about new photos and applications on Facebook, she didn’t have an account so didn’t know what they were talking about and couldn’t join in. Once in her seminar room, Sophie was relieved there weren’t any computers – at least she wouldn’t have to ask for constant help on how to log on etc. once the introduction to the module started, 50% was an essay, the other 50% was a group presentation. As she confessed to her new group that she wasn’t very computer literate, everyone was shocked to learn she didn’t have one at home. Moreover, when it came time to swap numbers and Facebook names, how embarrassing was it when Sophie had to explain she didn’t own a mobile. Therefore, the group decided to have a meeting the following Wednesday at 12….
Wednesday at 12 – Sophie waited for an hour but no one turned up. She had to wait until the next week’s seminar to find out that the two other people in her group couldn’t make the meeting due to certain situations.

This is only a brief look at certain situations a neo-luddite could face. It also highlights a few of the elements of university that we take for granted when having to access information etc.

Week 9 - Someone who threatens the notion of Digital Immigration...

A family friend of mine is 35 years old (Bill) – therefore Prensky would describe him as a ‘Digital Immigrant.’ I am 20 years old - therefore I would be described by Prensky as a ‘Digital Native.’ However Bill has more technological knowledge and capabilities than me. He also has a need for technology more than me, for example the minute the iPhone was available, he had one. That’s not to say I wouldn’t want one, but the ‘newest’ technology isn’t something I would say I keep religiously up to date with, unlike Bill.

Therefore, Prensky’s opposite notions have been swapped around in terms of defining Bill and I, and surely this isn’t just an odd example. When it comes to Prensky’s definitions, was he too specific? And also too prominent in expecting ‘digital natives’ to immediately be technology whizz’s? as I’ve previously mentioned in last week’s blogs, maybe it doesn’t matter what age you are in terms of being able to grasp technological concepts, but older generations will always be aware of the fact they are being influenced therefore will be more conscious to resist?

Week 9 - The Youngest Digital Immigrant

The youngest digital immigrant is my Auntie, who is 28 years old. I have a large family with a lot of younger cousins who are constantly nudging her to get up to date with technology, but unlike other trying to learn the ‘new technology language’ my auntie refuses to learn it and uses more traditional means of communicating, gaining information etc. She still does her banking in meat space, if she wants to book a holiday – she’ll go into a travel agent, her job doesn’t need a computer as she’s a hair-dresser. Recently she bought her first mobile phone, but only so she can contact her kids when she’s out and a about, or visa versa. She only knows how to make and receive calls though, and hasn’t got a clue how to text.

How long will she be able to keep using traditional methods to go about her daily life, will technology soon take over completely and stop her from doing so?

Week 9 - The Oldest Digital Native

The oldest digital native I know is one of my friends from home, who goes to another University. They solely depend upon the internet to go about their daily lives; they use text messages and Facebook to interact more than they do it real life and use their laptop to make notes within a lecture. I think that my friend would fit into Prensky’s definition because the internet is her main source of information; she neglects other forms of information orientated media unless she really has to.

Prensky’s definitions are solely based on age, which isn’t applicable to everyone. Although not classed as a digital native, my granddad who is nearly 80 can text on a mobile just as quick as I can, and also uses the internet a considerable amount. He would quite possibly use the internet before going for print based media to find something out because it is just as convenient for him to look on the internet, as it is for digital natives.

Week 9 - Should education stretch a person?

Education should stretch a person, in the sense that it fulfils their potential. The reasons for education (in my opinion) are to provide goals for students to work hard to reach and or excel within their areas of study. Education is all about challenging individuals to reach their educational potential and to be prepared for life once they have gained their qualifications. The question that I ask here is, can new media accomplish this criterion for education? I see that social-determinism is playing a large role here in shaping what technology offers us. Therefore, is new media allowing us to learn in a way accommodated to our wants, rather than ‘stretching’ us in a way that education needs. By referring back to Prensky’s notion on teaching Digital Natives through video games, isn’t this merging two different factors in society together, i.e. education and out of school activities. Shouldn’t there be a clear distinction between these two factors so that students can learn to easily recognise the difference? If they are merged together I think it could possibly diverge away from what is expected from students as they become less aware they are learning and more complacent with playing video games.

Week 8 - Harvard Style Academic Article Links.

Website 1 - Cheong, P (2008) “Investigating Internet use and Problem Solving behaviours of Young Adults in Singapore.” The Young and The Techless? Vol 10. http://www.swetswise.com/FullTextProxy/swproxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnms.sagepub.com%2Fcgi%2Freprint%2F10%2F5%2F771.pdf%3Fxdata%3D212219220116&ts=1236717425304&cs=3641694702&userName=5845157.ipdirect&emCondId=5845157&articleID=38393175&yevoID=2347498&titleID=144954&referer=1&remoteAddr=212.219.220.116&hostType=PRO [09/03/09]

Website 2 - Livingstone, S. Bovill, M (2000) “Young people, New Media.” http://www.mediacultureonline.de/fileadmin/bibliothek/livingstone_young_people/livingstone_young_people.pdf [09/03/09]

Website 3 - Ito, M (No Date) “Mobile communications: Re-negotiation of the Social Sphere.”
Mobile Phones, Japanese Youth, and the Re-Placement of Social Contact http://www.itofisher.com/mito/archives/mobileyouth.pdf [10/03/09]

Website 4 - Livingstone, S. (2003) “Children’s Use of the Internet: Reflections on the Emerging Research Agenda.” New Media and Society. Vol 5. Page 146 – 166. http://nms.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/5/2/147 [10/03/09]

Website 5 - Anonymous (2008) “New Media Age” Page 10. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=36&did=1488064121&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1236704336&clientId=57096 [10/03/09]

Week 8 - Abstract 5

Although a short article, this article gives researched statistics implying the growing disinterest of young people and the news. From this article the internet and mobiles could be seen as distracting young people away from using new technology to source information, and possibly with the large variety of social aspects etc on the internet, neglecting finding out world wide issues. However, television is still a top source of gaining news, but how long will this stay like this for?