"Digital Nation": http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/
A trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CFCv9TLoI8
I am a bit surprised at no takes on this that I have seen from my Penn State peeps, but I have a feeling this has a lot to do with a certain complex ABC show making it's season premiere at the same time....
A couple of things I found interesting:
- There is lots of talk I saw about Douglas Rushkoff, one of the first to write about cyber culture, and his apprehensions about our current digital age. I think a bit of this is overblown; I didn't take this as "one of the pioneers has jumped off the wagon!" as much as I did a realistic look at some of the issues involved here.
- Professional Ed Tech Wet Blanket Thrower Todd Oppenheimer has a big presence in this, as well he should given his skeptic's opinions. However, I think he is too reactionary - he makes a curious claim that digital literacy is irrelevant to the workforce, and that students should learn more "shop class skills".
- There were the usual concerns raised about Internet addiction - including a two-week "boot camp" in South Korea to help kids who have been disconnected from their friends, families, etc.
- On the other hand, there was also a very interesting segment about something many of us already know - these connections build social relationships, not destroy them. It showed a convention for World of Warcraft players, talking about friendships and even marriages formed around the game.
All in all, well worth viewing. BTW, while I was watching it, there was a scientist talking about how the Internet may be making us dumb, and across the bottom of the screen a graphic appeared that said "to hear more about Dr. __________ theories, go to pbs.org" You can't write that kind of comedy.
A trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CFCv9TLoI8
I am a bit surprised at no takes on this that I have seen from my Penn State peeps, but I have a feeling this has a lot to do with a certain complex ABC show making it's season premiere at the same time....
A couple of things I found interesting:
- There is lots of talk I saw about Douglas Rushkoff, one of the first to write about cyber culture, and his apprehensions about our current digital age. I think a bit of this is overblown; I didn't take this as "one of the pioneers has jumped off the wagon!" as much as I did a realistic look at some of the issues involved here.
- Professional Ed Tech Wet Blanket Thrower Todd Oppenheimer has a big presence in this, as well he should given his skeptic's opinions. However, I think he is too reactionary - he makes a curious claim that digital literacy is irrelevant to the workforce, and that students should learn more "shop class skills".
- There were the usual concerns raised about Internet addiction - including a two-week "boot camp" in South Korea to help kids who have been disconnected from their friends, families, etc.
- On the other hand, there was also a very interesting segment about something many of us already know - these connections build social relationships, not destroy them. It showed a convention for World of Warcraft players, talking about friendships and even marriages formed around the game.
All in all, well worth viewing. BTW, while I was watching it, there was a scientist talking about how the Internet may be making us dumb, and across the bottom of the screen a graphic appeared that said "to hear more about Dr. __________ theories, go to pbs.org" You can't write that kind of comedy.
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