This week we read a section from J.D. Applen regarding McLuhan’s views on media. He started by explaining “medium is the message.” What this means is that the newly implemented technologies can and do change our culture along with how we behave as individuals. It goes to show that the main way technology is impacting our everyday lives and not only the intended features it was meant to do.
Shortcuts
Nicholas Carr also went on to explain and critique how the internet is affecting us as individuals. He explained that it can be a useful tool. He feels that most people don’t deeply read and analyze. We skim and look past certain information quickly jumping from different websites. I believe that this could be because of how much information on the internet is readily available. In sources such as google or ai outlets we can get a straight answer immediately. This is what makes a person lack true insight on the deeper facts.
Carr and McLuhan
Both Carr and McLuhan seem to agree that the technologies shape how we think as individuals. We are too focused on gaining quick knowledge in the tap of a few keys on a keyboard. This is setting us back from deep intellectual thinking as a whole.
Technology in Class
As a future teacher, I decided to look into Pedagogy and the Logic of Platforms by Chris Gilliard. I would like to say that the information within shocked me but truly it isn’t surprising at this point. The article explained that the internet is built to quite literally sell and collect our personal information for profit. This is known as surveillance capitalism which could be compared to digital redlining. It explained that certain groups including people of color and low income are treated unfairly because of how the internet profiles them.
I feel that as a future educator it is important to protect students at all costs online especially with how much technology is being implemented. I am not a fan personally of the chromebooks and ipads that kids are being sent home with and this article opened my eyes to how dangerous it could be for students. It is key to make sure as an educator you go over rules with your students. This will push kids to be cautious of what they are signing up for online. Overall making students aware that though the internet is a useful tool it has major flaws.
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