Compared to last weeks reading I was relieved when I started reading Victorian Internet. It was such a good read I even recommended it to my best friend who is a technology librarian in North Carolina Public lIbraries.
Victorian Internet is the story of the invention and rise of the telegraph, what is great about it is how similar it is to the rise of the internet in the 20th century. As I read this I knew the bare minimum of the invention and use of the telegraph. It was very interesting to see how people reacted to the invention of the telegraph, especially the fear and hesitation many people had (“Black Magic”) as well as the misunderstanding of how it works (trying to send soup through the wires!) .The telegraph parallels the Internet in so many ways. The creation of the telegraph, brought people together making our world smaller. The telegraph opened doors for new job opportunities and more government regulations. The telegraph also faced negative issues and abuse. People tried to find ways to cheat the system and scam others. These are all things we’ve experienced now with the internet.
The invention of the telegraph changed the world and people had to adapt to the changes brought about by the telegraph. As our world expands we too need to grow with it. Our students are more connected than we could have ever imagined. With everything at their fingertips, it becomes our job to help them navigate through this world with the right tools. The internet has changed the classic classroom and the way we learn. We have students that are Skyping with classes around the world!
In class, we talked about how inventions or new ideas travel through a wave or a predictable pattern of diffusion. First, it’s the few and the gimmick then there is a gradual adoption which then leads to gradual spread. Many trends in education follow this pattern, although some may fizzle out before the gradual spread step, most do follow this pattern. As teachers, we need to find the tools to that enhance our classrooms and avoid the gimmick step. Just because it’s “technology” doesn’t always mean that our students will actually benefit from it. Finding the right tools to provide our students with the best outcome is how we prepare them to be global citizens in this world.
The internet has brought many wonderful opportunities for our world but it also has its drawbacks. Finding a balance is essential.
"Finding the right tools to provide our students with the best outcome" sums it all up in one perfect package! It's not about integrating technology. It's about integrating technology with a purpose that moves students towards the learning goal.
ReplyDeleteHaha, it was a much appreciated and much easier read this time!
ReplyDeleteI still think some of my coworkers treat technology as "Black Magic." I like to point out that most of the problems with it (such as students sending inappropriate notes to each other) existed well before computers (ie students passing inappropriate notes). I do feel we're slowly moving to embracing tech which means we can start using (Edited that from utilizing!) our 1:1 computers much more effectively.
Hey Mel! I just realized I commented on the wrong post last week (sorry!). I also really enjoyed reading The Victorian Internet and recommended to my husband to read. I like how you mentioned that students have everything at their fingertips, but we still need to guide them by helping them navigate the world with the right tools. We forget that even though most of them are more technology savvy than we are, they still need guidance to make the right choices!
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