Book Review: Technopoly

The book that I chose to read and review is "Technopoly: The Surrender of culture to Technology" by Neil Postman. This book was written in 1992 and examines the cultural transformation of a technology dependant society. Technopoly is a non-fiction work that takes a look at the negative aspects of having a society that not only uses technology, but as Postman discusses, is controlled by it. Postman refers to technology as a "dangerous enemy" that has changed our values, culture, religion, and way of life.

The author begins his book by discussing that technology has both positive and negative effects on society. Postman states that the creators of technology see "only what new technologies can do and are incapable of imagining what they can undo". Postman believes that technology creates an immoral society, but does not back up his opinions. It is easy to see that Postman does not trust technology and sees it for the harm that it can create instead of the good. Postman goes on to discuss how technolgy, especially computers, has completely changed the way that we educate our youth. According to the author, children do not face-to-face group collaboration when technology is used to teach. Postman argues that the schools need to be the leaders in ending the "Technopoly" by teaching without the use of computers and other technology.

Postman believes that people will rely on technology to perform everything in the daily lives. He even takes a stab at the use of technology in medicine. He does not like the fact that doctors rely on technology for medical diagnoses. He fails to mention the positive effect, and there are many, that have come about because of technology.

I found that this book was difficult to read because I did not agree with what the author was saying. I think that technology has its positive and negative sides, but Postman only seemed to focus on the negative aspects. I think that there is so much more that could be done with the implementation of technology. Ending the use of technology because there are dangers just seems silly. There are dangers in everything and the key to being safe on the computer is to take some simple precaution's. I found this author's views to be a bit extreme and ridiculous. He was not able to back up most of his opinions which made it hard for me to take this book seriously.

Podcasting

Podcasting is a digital recording of information that can be accessed through the internet. Podcasting is just a digital recording and a vodcasting is a video recording that is posted on the internet. Podcasting could be used for students who missed classes or who want to review information for for an exam. Podcasting could also be part of a webquest. Students could also create podcasts or vodcasts that discussed topics that are learned in class or as part of a research project. Students could create a podcast to discuss the summary of a story, the water cycle, the steps of mummification, or the definitions of the different quadrilaterals. The students could even do a podcast for a jigsaw project for a history or science chapter.

I teach kindergarten so I do not see how podcasts would work for my students. Their technology skills are not strong enough to create their own podcasts and they would not know how to even access a podcast. I would use a vodcast for my class before I would use a podcast. I could create a vodcast on our currant subject of subtraction or comparing the difference between polar bears, grizzly bears, brown bears, and black bears.

computer safety

I am currently teaching kindergarten students so the skill level that my students poses is not very high. I have taught my students the basic computer technology such as monitor, keyboard, and mouse. My students know how to turn the monitor on and off and they know how to work head phones connected to the computer. Beyond that, my students do not get any other computer time. We attend the "Waterford Lab" that only runs the Waterford phonics program. I would love for my students to learn more skills such as how to turn on the computer and shut it down correctly, and how to open up programs.

Since my students do not have much computer access I do not have to worry about computer policy as much as I would in other grades. My students know not to push on the screen or to mess with the keyboard when the computers are not in use. The only buttons they are allowed to use are the arrow keys. If my students were to use the Internet I would make sure that they only used Internet sites that I had provided for them. I think that the Kindergarten students are too young to understand the difference between a safe and unsafe site.

technology supports learning

I think that technology can definitely help to improve student understanding. For example, I can use an interactive white board to show students how to search the internet or to play a video within a PowerPoint to help explain the process of mummification. Technology can lead to smooth transitions that show students examples or demonstrations to support a teachers instruction. There are many different technologies that can help support a teachers instruction. One of my favorites that I have used is the Smart Board with a digital projector. I also think that document cameras are very useful in a classroom. It is easier to demonstrate something such a dissection of a seed with all of the students being able to see what the teacher is doing. I would also love to use a smart table, which is like an interactive white board but it is on a table. That would be wonderful for small group instruction! Computer programs such as word and PowerPoint are also essential program that students can and should use to improve their learning. There are really some amazing technologies that could be used in the classroom.

What to know before students use internet searches

I believe that it is important for students to understand that they are vulnerable on the Internet. Most children tend to think that they are not as accountable for their actions when they are online compared to when they are face-to-face. When students use social networks such as facebook and myspace, they need to understand that everyone can see their pictures and posts if they have not set the security settings correctly. They could be "leaking" personal and vital information about themselves and others without thinking about consequences. They might also be posting inappropriate pictures that can be viewed by family, friends, teachers, and anyone else who has access to their page. Children should also be taught that you never meet people that you have formed a new online relationship with and that they should always be cautious about talking with new people. In general, children should be taught not to give away information such as the school they attend, place of employment, addresses, and even full names because it could make them potential victims of predators or "cyberbullies".

Children should also be educated on safe Internet searches. Parents should already have protective settings on their computers to prevent children from gaining access to adult sites and information. They should also be taught the difference between safe sites and unsafe sites. It is also important for students to learn that they should not enter contests or click on advertisements or download suspicious files. They should also understand that some sites have an age limit for a reason and they should not visit any sites that are only for adults.

Besides teaching kids how to be safe on the internet, I would also recommend teaching them how to be good internet researchers. Parents and teachers should show children the difference between a reputable informational site and one where any person can post information. They should understand how to site sources, including pictures that they have taken from the internet. They should also be taught about copyrights and stealing on the internet.

Here is a video that I found that teaches children how to use playground equipment. The video can be used at the start of the school year or mid-year to review the rules of the playground.

theory of learning

I believe that every student can and will learn as long as they are given the support that they need from their teacher, parents, and peers. If students are able to feel comfortable in their surroundings, then they will be able to learn and accomplish their goals. It is amazing to see what motivated and excited students can achieve when they are positively pushed to do their best.

Many students can not learn the material after hearing or reading the information once. I think that students need to get as many chances to practice their skills in order to learn the material. I believe that students need to be exposed to the material as many times as possible. Working together and teaching each other is a great way for students to be more responsible for the material being learned. I also believe that using technology in the classroom is a vital way for students to become engaged and take a part in their own learning. Getting students engaged, curious, and excited about their education can be a challenge, but their are many ways that educators can keep students interested in class. Being creative and working together with other teachers is essential.