Tech world observations

As noted by my blog title, I decided to learn about technology’s role in diversity. To be more precise, the role it plays among its users. I had intended to run my own survey consisting of about 18 questions. A few middle school teachers were willing to pass out the survey, but then there were some parental issues and then needing to get permission from higher authorities and it made the entire quest too difficult. The survey consisted of questions like age, gender, school grade, whether the individuals or their parents were born in the USA or not, if they owned any tech gadgets (like cell phones, Blackberry/iPhone/Droid, home phone, digital camera, video camera, TV, VCR, DVD player, MP3/iPod/Zune, CD player, computer, laptop, printer, microwave, Nintendo DS, PSP, XBOX, PS3, Wii, E-book/Kindle) and the following:

1. Do you have internet at home?
2. Do you use the internet at school or library?
3. Do you have an email account?
4. Do your parents have an email account?
5. Do you know how to use Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint?
6. Would you play games on a computer that had no internet?
7. Do 1 or both of your parents’ text with their cell phones?
8. At what age did you FIRST use a computer or the internet?
9. Do your parents know how to use the internet?
10. What’s your favorite video/computer game?
11. What can you do with a USB?
12. Do you play any sports (outside of school)

Nevertheless, I decided to make my own observations and ask a few individuals. I tried to pay attention to children more so than adults because children make up the new generation. This generation has grown up with technology as young as 3 years old. The generation, Mark Prensky calls the D-generation (digital natives). What I was able to conclude was that children in a household that contains more technology and tech savvy users will tend to know more about how to use technology than others who may know how to use technology but with adults who may not be as tech savvy. Of course this is a huge theoretical assumption noting that I have a limited amount of observations. In addition, there seems to be more of an “addictive” behavior for children growing up with technology than with children who began to use it in school.

Examples:

Yesenia & Stefanie, 10 & 13 years old

I informally interviewed a girl named Yesenia and her sister Stefanie. They attend my church with their family. She and her sister are first generation Americans. Meaning, her parents weren’t born here nor did they attend school in the United States. She did not grow up with much technology. The family owns a television, stereo (with a cassette player), one house phone, digital camera, and a radio/CD player. They form part of the economically lower-class. However, because of school projects such as science fairs, they have learned to use the computers at school and at public libraries. I even let them borrow my laptop when they need it for school work.

They seem to know how to type and use internet explorer, and also play with cell phones and Mp3s. However, they weren’t sure how to use PowerPoint, iTunes, or email. They did need help for printing. In addition, I asked them if their parents knew how to use computers and other technologies in general; they didn’t. Their parents do own and operate standard phones. So this suggested to me that children, not surrounded by various technological devices from a young age and without tech savvy parents, may not have knowledge of several items like printers and computer programs etc. However, since accessibility to so many different items (computers, iPods, cell phones) is available via libraries or friends, then the children can become savvy.

Cesar, 10 years old

Cesar is a cousin of mine; he grew up with various technological gadgets and is pretty tech savvy for his age. He knows how to change desktop backgrounds, create e-mail accounts or social networking accounts, take pictures using a Nintendo DS or digital camera, send texts, pix-text messages, use Microsoft word and print his school work. Of course, much of it is due to him growing up with me and always asking me what I was doing on my computer. However, his twin brother does not know as much as he does. Yes, his twin can use the computer as well to type, search the internet, play games, but not create accounts or print. I attributed this difference to the knowledge of understanding and grasping concepts. Some individuals learn quicker than others and some are genuinely more talented. I just thought Cesar was a quick learner and that growing up surround by older kids and technological devices made him so tech savvy. However, his twin brother is not as tech savvy, although he has had the same experiences growing up. So I concluded that the level of understanding of a person and whether they are gifted can affect how much one interacts with technology as well. This can also explain why some adults adapt to technology quicker or more than others.

From these observations, I interviewed my math teacher Jennifer Clarkson to hear her opinion on how technology can affect the school system and her overall opinion. The interview can be heard in the following audio.

As a mathematician she stated that the rising debate is “how and how much to integrate computer technology” when it comes to school and specific course, such as mathematics. She believes that the knowledge of calculators and computers is important but, “at the same time you still need to have the intuition you can only gain by not using the technology.” I agree with this perspective. Some items are best learned without technology such as math, especially at a young age. As Clarkson noted, technology shouldn’t heavily influence young developing minds. She believes that there is “no reason to use technology in elementary school,” when children are fundamentally learning. In some areas it seems to be reasonable, however in the manner society is changing, learning to use technology in other scholarly areas will be extremely important.

Currently, having knowledge of computers, specific programs, and devices is a great advantage for both employees and employers. Learning at a young age may be necessary eventually. However, we must regulate what exactly to incorporate into the education system. As Clarkson offered, arithmetic skills have not been so great among the D-generation because of the dependency on calculators. Past generations seem to have better arithmetic skills because of the lack of calculator use.

Then again, “correlation does not imply causation,” as Clarkson stated and maybe technology itself cannot explain the difference, but roles are changing and the school system is adapting to this change. Technology is greatly depended on by some, feared by others, and skeptically accepted by many. I think with time, many opinions will become more positive about what technology can offer if appropriately used, especially in the education system among the younger generation.