Electronic technology is a tool for modern humans. Like all tools, it takes time, study, and practice to master the skill of using it well. As an educational tool, teachers now have the responsibility to ensure our students understand that. The internet has given many humans a platform for expression- for example, a recent YouTube video gone viral could be a conversation starter about power, who wields the power, and how to use it appropriately. Thus, the internet has democratized many avenues for knowledge, expression, commerce, and community building, unlike any thing humans have known before! That is pretty amazing! Whether teachers, students, or families like it, with internet and electronic technology becoming ubiquitous, we are now global citizens, and must conduct ourselves as such.
However, at the end of the day, dinner still needs to be cooked. Seeds need to be planted, so we can eat. Children, elders, animals, homes, need to be tended. Humans need love and affection, laughter, conversation, and fellowship in order to thrive. Technology cannot replace these things. A human life is hand made, and in relationship with all things sprung from the earth. Educators committed to social justice through the use of electronic technology, must remember the cost and impact these technologies are having across the globe, and weave this knowing into our curriculum. Technology can augment our lives for a time, but we must ensure that all species have space to thrive on planet earth. |
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June 2018
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