WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY WORTH?

Two months ago my uncle lost his job due to slow business, last month a friend of mine lost his job as well as his coworkers because their company went bankrupt.  Who is next?  While many people in today’s society may blame the government and housing market for the downward spiraling economy, there may, perhaps, be another reason for the massive loss of jobs. 

        For several years, Neil Postman (1931-2003), an author and educator, has been discussing communication theories in their relation to media and technology (NeilPostman.org).  He has probed deep into the term “luddite,” which Dictionary.com defines as “a member of any of various bands of workers in England (1811–16) organized to destroy manufacturing machinery, under the belief that its use diminished employment,” or “one who opposes technical or technological change,” (2009).  While, the educator does not consider himself as a Luddite because he does not think maliciously of new technologies, he does, however, admit to his indifference to them, (Postman, 1993).

        Postman’s concern was that computers (technology) took away jobs.  Although he makes it clear that machines could never replace humans completely because we “have a unique, biologically rooted, intangible mental life which in some limited respects can be simulated by a machine but can never be duplicated,” (Postman, 1992, p.112).  Humans are needed in this world because we think and feel on our own.  Throughout Technopoly, the critic continues to discuss the importance of recognizing what work can be done without the use of a computer as well as what one could loose in using the computer as a “short cut” or tool for efficiency, (Postman, 1993, p.120).

        The critic also claimed that the computer has not been an advantage to many workers in the world such as  “steelworkers, vegetable store owners, teachers, garage mechanics, musicians, bricklayers, and dentists,” (1992, p.10).  In order to prove/disprove Postman’s claim about the computer not being an advantage, I conducted a small study on the aforementioned occupations.             

My father-in-law has worked as a steelworker for many years and has seen technology change his job in many ways.  Several years ago he had to manually bend steel with tools and make manual cuts with different saws (Sargent, 2009).  It was a very laborious task.  Now, he can input the angles and measurements into a computer and the machine cuts it to the requested size.  He can also view each piece of steel in a three-dimensional figure on the computer as well as take each computerized piece to build the end project in their database.  This is then used to show customer’s drawings to scale as well as help the other steelworkers know the exact dimensions and plan of the job.  He said the computers save several hours of work and enable their team to get more done in a given day.  In contacting various employees from the above said list of jobs, here are my findings on their usage and advantageousness.

Computer use for...

~ Vegetable store owners:  source vegetables from local farms to overseas farms, keep an eye on competition, allows for online ordering, and electronic scale calculates pounds into dollars.

~ Teachers:  for research on new methods of teaching, helps teacher stay current with technology to better relate to students, and tool to teach students.

~ Garage mechanics:  source a broader scale of suppliers, collect information on competitors and pricing, place orders, electronic jacks and fluid level readers, more efficient equipment to keep up with latest vehicle technology, and research/education.

~ Musicians:  unlimited access to songs, source music stores, access to variety of equipment sources, and research venues to play at.

~ Bricklayers:  size a job, create three-dimensional designs, source supplies, and solicit help.

~ Dentists:  high tech x-rays that immediately transfer to computer file, keep track of customer

records/information, stay up on trends, and laser whitening.

        To conclude, in analyzing the computer usage from the above list of jobs, it is evident that technology is advantageous in methods of research and organization as well for some specialized “short cuts.”  While the computer does eliminate some of the time it takes to complete certain tasks, it also eliminates the need for more workers.  That is, with exception of the emerging computer programming and electronics industries.  Technology may help “efficiency, interest and economic advance” (Postman, 1993, p.179) but “working smarter and not harder” may not be worth the heartache of having those close to you jobless.  What technology would you sacrifice to ensure everyone in this nation had a job and could provide for his or her family?

RESOURCES

Dictionary.com. (2009).  Random house dictionary: Luddite.  Retrieved from             http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/luddite on February 20, 2009.

Neilpostman.org. (2009).  The Neil Postman information page: Brief biography.  Retrieved from http://www.neilpostman.org/ on February 21, 2009.

Postman, N.  (1993).  Agency for instructional technology: Of Luddites, learning, and life.  Technos quarterly: Winter, Vol. 2, No. 4. Retrieved from             http://www.ait.net/technos/tq_02/4postman.php on February 22, 2009.

Postman, N. (1993).  Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology. New York: Vintage.

Sargent, S.  (2009).  Personal interview.  Interviewed on February 22, 2009.

 

Literacy and Technology

It’s 7:58am, two minutes before my official work day starts. I grab a cup of coffee and sit back in my desk chair. Next, I login to my computer, check my mail, send an important message and then search the latest news headlines. My calendar chimes in on my desktop and informs me that I have a meeting to attend in a few minutes. Since I cannot sit at my desk and attend this meeting at the same time, today, I grab my mobile device that allows me to make a telephone call, search the internet, watch a movie and check/send/update my email and calendar, all in the palm of my hand. Life is good!

While we, humans, used to be limited to an oral telephone call or a written letter to communicate, technology now allows us a multitude of ways to exchange words, feelings, and emotions. Technology has drastically changed and enhanced the workforce and, well, life in general. It has increased the immediacy in which we communicate as well as improved the productivity of our work. We can perform a multitude of activities through the use of technology such as order groceries online and balance our check books. However, if one cannot read and/or write, life can be much more complicated in today’s “technocracy.”

According to the National Literacy Act of 1991, "literacy" is defined as “an individual's ability to read, write, and speak in English, and compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one's goals, and develop one's knowledge and potential,” (NIFL.gov, 1991). A 2003 study discovered that 14% of American adults are considered as “illiterate,” (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). While 86% of American adults are literate, we cannot leave the other 14% of our society behind, especially with the speed that our technology evolves.

One way literacy is being taught through the use of technology is through the LINCS program. The National Institute for Literacy has developed a “state-of-the-art” technology tool, called Literacy Information and Communication Systems (LINCS), to provide illiterate adults with “high quality information” via the internet, on topics such as reading, writing, mathematics, learning disabilities, technology and workforce education. Distributing these resources online helps adult learners participate in technology training opportunities while learning basic fundamentals. Unfortunately, some members are proactive in their learning while others are not and/or may not have access to legitimate resources.

“Literacy arouses hopes, not only in society as a whole but also in the individual who is striving for fulfilment, happiness and personal benefit by learning how to read and write. Literacy... means far more than learning how to read and write... The aim is to transmit... knowledge and promote social participation," (UNESCO Institute for Education, 2009).

Literacy through the use of technology has many pros; however, it also has cons as well, especially with America’s youth. The evolution and affordability of mobile device technology has enabled Americans of all ages to have a personal mobile device. Although students gain technological skills through communicating via text messaging and online technologies, their fundamental skills can lag when texting in a shorthand/slang. America’s youth are forming bad habits in grammar usage with common text message shorthands like “r u sk8ing 2nite,” which means “are you skating tonight,” or the famous, “OMG.” Here is a link to a common list of text message acronyms. http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php. While I do not see communicating in acronyms going away anytime soon, I do think English curriculum in American schools is now more important than ever. “As stereotypes would suggest, teens drive by far the highest number of text messages per month,” (Liew, J., 2008).

2008 Q2 Neilsen Mobile Data above shows correlation of age and amount of text messages sent, provided by Liew, J.

In conclusion, America’s literacy is increasingly linked through various methods of technology. It is important that all members of our society not only become literate, but that they also stay current and take advantage of technological opportunities. We, as human beings, and not artificial intelligence, are therefore also responsible for “proper” communication through the use of technology. Whether we are teaching ourselves or others, everyone plays a part in our learning. It is up to us to participate in this multitasking, technologically advanced, fast-paced world.

“No skill is more crucial to the future of a child, or to a democratic and prosperous society, than literacy,” (Los Angles Times, 2009).



RESOURCES

Liew, J. (2008). From lightspeed: U.S. teens send 7.5x more text messages than they make
calls.” Retrieved on February 8, 2009 from http://lsvp.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/us-teens-send-75x-more-text-messages-than-they-make-calls/.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2003). State and county estimates of low literacy.
Retrieved on February 9, 2009 from http://nces.ed.gov/naal/estimates/overview.aspx.

National Institute for Literacy. (1991). The National literary act of 1991. Public law 102-73.
Retrieved on February 8, 2009 from http://www.nifl.gov/public-law.html.

The Literacy company. (2009). Company: literacy: quotes. “A Child literacy initiative for the
greater Los Angeles area.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles:CA. Retrieved on
February 9, 2009 from http://www.readfaster.com/literacyquotes.asp.

The Literacy company. (2009). Company: literacy: quotes: UNESCO institute for education.
Hamburg:GE. Retrieved on February 8, 2009 from
http://www.readfaster.com/literacyquotes.asp.

CMC and Generational Cultures (Reflection 1)

 "Anything that is in the world when you were born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural way the world works" -- Douglas Adams.  Change is difficult for most people, especially the older one gets.  What was normal yesterday is already different today.  Every generation is used to having life a certain way and has learned to adapt over time with the changes.  Evolution takes place in everything from relationships to medicine to the Earth’s natural landscape.  Two of the biggest ecological changes in the world during the past 70 years are technology and communication.

Archeologists say the action of sending a message dates back to the 6^th century B.C. (Historyworld, 2009) when Persians traveled by foot over mountains and through valleys to deliver a verbal message or pictures scribed on tablets.  The first change in sending messages was the creation of main roads and the increased athleticism of the horse and rider hundreds of years later.  Throughout the years, inventions like the printing press, telegraph, telephone and photocopier improved the way the world communicated, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that Americans had cordless telephones and started learning about devices called computers (Phone Warehouse, 2009).  

 Today, more than 61.8 billion people own a personal computer (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003) and 250 million Americans have a cell phone (Stevens, 2007).  Computer mediated communication, also known as CMC, didn’t happen over night.  During the Baby Boomer era, Americans primarily used the postal system to send letters and information, read the newspaper to get their news, and listened to the radio for entertainment.  Generation X introduced video games, cordless telephones and a few more channels of television, like MTV, for entertainment.  Now, during the Generation Y period, television channels have multiplied and can be viewed in high definition, the computer and World Wide Web are affordable for most American households and personal telephones can be taken everywhere.  

Generation	Year Born	Age
Baby Boomer	1943-1960	48-65
Generation X	1961-1981	27-47
Generation Y	1982-2008	1-26

 Baby Boomers and Generation X have had to learn new ways of communicating via technology for work and/or personal reasons and once they have learned it, these technologies have proven to be an efficient communication dynamic.  Individuals now use computers to send and receive messages, watch and read the news, get an education, pay bills, have a video/web conference, conduct research, listen to music, play games, shop for items such as groceries or clothing, blog to divulge one’s mind, engage in a cybersociety and even find a mate.  The speed of the technology has also increased communication.  No longer do individuals have to wait for the mail to receive a letter, wait until the day is over to talk to their spouse or watch the nightly newscast to learn about their community, they can now communicate at the click of a button.

            Computer mediated communication has created different cultural, psychological and social changes for each generation, but the most common issue is that is has changed the frequency and usage of face-to-face communication.  The Baby Boomer era and scholars initially saw CMC as “cold, psychologically distant and overly task-focused,” (Thurlow, et al., 2004, p.50).   They believed face-to-face communication was more desirable because of the “detail, fluidity, warmth and intimacy, and sociability.”  With more people using CMC and through its study, some scholars, like Walther, believe CMC encourages Hyperpersonal Communication (p.53).  Meaning, CMC can actually stimulate the antisocial and create a greater intimacy than face-to-face communication.  Whether one is from the era of the Baby Boomers, Generation X or Y, I believe the use of computer mediated communication versus face-to-face communication is personal choice. 

            In conclusion, how we communicate has drastically changed throughout the years.  Individuals now have a choice in their communication method through the use of technology. What each generation once thought is “normal,” is no longer, and in order to survive in today’s world, it is best for individuals to stay current with their technology, especially when communicating.  Delivering a message via horseback today would look quite silly.  “A new technology does not add or subtract something.  It changes everything,” (Postman, 1993, p.18).   The question is…how will you deal with tomorrow’s change?           

Here is a great site about generational differences:

 http://www.aia.org/nwsltr_pm.cfm?pagename=pm_a_20030801_genx

RESOURCES

Historyworld.  History of communication.  Retrieved from http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp? groupid=1457&HistoryID=aa93 on January 22, 2009. 

Phone Warehouse. (2009).  Telephone history: Cordless phone history.  Retrieved   from http://www.affordablephones.net/historycordless.htm on January 24, 2009.

Postman, N. (1993). Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology.  New York: Vintage.

Stevens, T. (2007).  Switched: 82% of Americans own cell phones.  Retrieved from http://www.switched.com/2007/11/14/82-of-americans-own-cell-phones/ on January 24, 2009.

Thurlow, C., Lengel, L., & Tomic, A. (2004). Computer mediated communication: Social interaction and the internet.  London: SAGE.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2003).  Current population survey: Computer use and ownership.  Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf on January 20, 2009.