Social Networking

All of the videos had a lot of good points for uses of the Internet and social networking, however there were also very good contradictions. PBS had made a very real point by saying teenagers are getting "addicted" to these virtual societies. Furthermore, on websites such as Facebook and Myspace children are giving off completely different persona's and are posting various items that probably shouldn't be on the Internet. And it is readily available to everybody. this is why Obama decided to use the Internet and MyBO to get his campaign out there. It enables people to who may not have looked at it, to wonder upon it and in ways they are used to using. They can show off meeting and campaigns as well as receive donation much faster and to a wider range of people. Nobody can stop anybody from putting things on the Internet, and once it's on there it can be there for good, and someone can likely always see it. Not only are teens going online to these sites on computers, but it is now possible to gain access through most mobile phones. So, now they don't even need to be by a computer, they just stop texting for a minute and log into Facebook, right from their phone. I think it is crazy that statistics show 90% of teens go online, and spend on average 9 hours a day using these technologies, however 55% spend less than one hour a week studying and reading materials for school. That is ridiculous to me, i feel that maybe there should be another way for kids to do their homework like said in one of the other videos. I believe kids are growing up with and need the Internet and technology, however i feel the instructors teaching them are not willing to step out of the norm and find other ways for kids to express their work through other technological means. One of the videos was talking about this and I agreed, we should let children pick a way to express their knowledge on a certain topic. some kids are more artistic, while other do better writing papers or making presentations on the computer. We should implement technologies that are available to us and let students convey information through things such as pod casts, and videos as well. Although, there is an extent to which one should be using these technologies and know what is acceptable. I.E. texting your paper to your professor is completely ridiculous, which was said in one of the videos. I also think it is ridiculous when I am in a class and the professor can't seem to figure out how to use the smart boards in the room. They should be user friendly and teachers should familiarise themselves with these advancements before class, so we aren't teaching them. I feel that the Internet and technologies is good to use and express knowledge on certain levels but on others, different styles are needed. Like said in one of the videos some jobs could be beneficial to use computer games and such like, pilots, surgeons and military, however in science one needs to use "slow linear thinking". There was one video that i could relate to the "second life" reading. At USC the lab focused on using computer games in a clinical way, like for soldiers suffering from PTSD. This helps them recreate the scenarios they were in and stimulate memories. Other disorders that were beneficial to this kind of treatment were ADHD, and Alzheimer's. The reading went onto explain how the second life was beneficial to people with deficits, they could now relate to people on the computer who they wouldn't normally be communicating with. It also makes communication easier if they have a speech impediment, now they can just type instead of talking.