What is the relationship between Turkle and Wesch? Do you see them as allies, or opponents in this discussion of new media and technology?
Sherry Turkle’s article on “The Flight From Conversation” focuses heavily on the fact that we live in a time when we are almost co-dependent on our electronic devices, to the point where we have “sacrificed conversation for mere connection.” She writes how we always have a device on us, we can be in a roomful of other people and be engaging with them, but also engaging with a world outside that room. For example, I can be sitting in a Professional Development in my school building and pay attention (somewhat) to the presenter, but also be on my computer doing things unrelated to the PD. It’s to the point where we feel better about ourselves the more “connected” we are. I’m guilty of this. I might share something on Facebook, and check back regularly to see if it has been “liked.” The more people I’m connected with “like” it, the higher the rush of those feel-good endorphins. And we are not immune to that effect! Sometimes it's unintentional. This is a real post I put up on Facebook, sharing my journey in controlling my OCD, with the intention of raising awareness of mental illness which I'm sure it did, but a side-effect of this post, whether I was looking for it or not, was feeling good about myself seeing the number of likes! That's not what I meant for it!
Wesch’s article “Anti-Teaching” focuses on how students do not see the significance of education in their lives and how this is a by-product of the institution called “school” and what teaching has become: dumping knowledge on students, rather than allowing them to explore, ask questions themselves and learn from each other and their experiences. Wesch writes that “meaning and significance are assured only when our learning fits in with a grand narrative that motivates and guides us” (p. 6).
In my opinion, Wesch and Turkle are both allies and opponents, depending on the perspective you take. I see them as allies in that students (and perhaps even teachers, too) are not being challenged to ask deep questions. Wesch says, “the best questions send students on rich and meaningful lifelong questions, question after question after question” but the kinds of questions students typically ask are about the formalities of the class: how to pass, what will be on the test, etc. (p. 5). Turkle says that because of technology, “we start to expect faster answers. To get these, we ask one another simpler questions.” They are allies in that they observe the people in their social spheres asking simpler questions that do not facilitate an exploration of the world around us, which in turn would lead to learning.
They are opponents, to my understanding, in that Turkle is seeing technology as detrimental to society. It is something we need to be more disconnected from in order to maintain meaningful relationships with those around us. We are missing out on a lot by constantly being on our electronic devices. She even ends her article with “So I say, look up, look at one another, and let’s start the conversation.” Wesch on the other hand, writes that he has used technology, including social media, in the classroom to kick-start conversations and prompt students to ask the types of questions he seeks (p. 6), contrary to Turkle’s statement that social media and connectedness is detrimental. Instead, he is using it as a tool.
I think that there needs to be a balance. Technology is of course a great tool we can use in educating our students. But, it can’t be the only tool or what we are teaching our students.
Turkle, S. (2012, April 21). The flight from conversation. The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html
Wesch, M. (2010, August 5). Anti-teaching: Confronting the crisis of significance. Education
Sherry Turkle’s article on “The Flight From Conversation” focuses heavily on the fact that we live in a time when we are almost co-dependent on our electronic devices, to the point where we have “sacrificed conversation for mere connection.” She writes how we always have a device on us, we can be in a roomful of other people and be engaging with them, but also engaging with a world outside that room. For example, I can be sitting in a Professional Development in my school building and pay attention (somewhat) to the presenter, but also be on my computer doing things unrelated to the PD. It’s to the point where we feel better about ourselves the more “connected” we are. I’m guilty of this. I might share something on Facebook, and check back regularly to see if it has been “liked.” The more people I’m connected with “like” it, the higher the rush of those feel-good endorphins. And we are not immune to that effect! Sometimes it's unintentional. This is a real post I put up on Facebook, sharing my journey in controlling my OCD, with the intention of raising awareness of mental illness which I'm sure it did, but a side-effect of this post, whether I was looking for it or not, was feeling good about myself seeing the number of likes! That's not what I meant for it!
Wesch’s article “Anti-Teaching” focuses on how students do not see the significance of education in their lives and how this is a by-product of the institution called “school” and what teaching has become: dumping knowledge on students, rather than allowing them to explore, ask questions themselves and learn from each other and their experiences. Wesch writes that “meaning and significance are assured only when our learning fits in with a grand narrative that motivates and guides us” (p. 6).
In my opinion, Wesch and Turkle are both allies and opponents, depending on the perspective you take. I see them as allies in that students (and perhaps even teachers, too) are not being challenged to ask deep questions. Wesch says, “the best questions send students on rich and meaningful lifelong questions, question after question after question” but the kinds of questions students typically ask are about the formalities of the class: how to pass, what will be on the test, etc. (p. 5). Turkle says that because of technology, “we start to expect faster answers. To get these, we ask one another simpler questions.” They are allies in that they observe the people in their social spheres asking simpler questions that do not facilitate an exploration of the world around us, which in turn would lead to learning.
They are opponents, to my understanding, in that Turkle is seeing technology as detrimental to society. It is something we need to be more disconnected from in order to maintain meaningful relationships with those around us. We are missing out on a lot by constantly being on our electronic devices. She even ends her article with “So I say, look up, look at one another, and let’s start the conversation.” Wesch on the other hand, writes that he has used technology, including social media, in the classroom to kick-start conversations and prompt students to ask the types of questions he seeks (p. 6), contrary to Turkle’s statement that social media and connectedness is detrimental. Instead, he is using it as a tool.
I think that there needs to be a balance. Technology is of course a great tool we can use in educating our students. But, it can’t be the only tool or what we are teaching our students.
References
Turkle, S. (2012, April 21). The flight from conversation. The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html
Wesch, M. (2010, August 5). Anti-teaching: Confronting the crisis of significance. Education
Canada, p. 5-7. Retrieved from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/anti-teaching-confronting-the- crisis-of-significance/
Helen,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very heart felt and open hearted post. Thank you. I do think that great things can come out of social media and I think sharing stories does help people who may also be suffering. Unfortunately, it also opens the door to so much negativity and I think it is important to unplug and find real people to talk to. I also respect your view that Turkle and Wesch are both allies and opponents because Wesch does rely on technology.