Looking Forward: Learning in a Postmodern Digital Age

The new digital media (NDM) are implicated in many of the broad changes underway and underscore the importance of the aforementioned new skills. Digital media allow for nearly ubiquitous access to people and to virtually infinite amounts of information, as well as affording new forms of sociality, play, creativity, social activism, networking, and collaboration.



This quote is right on target. The buzz word here is infinite amounts of information.

Wait: moment of connections.....stay with me people. OK, so yesterday I was working with a 5th grade student at the Manhattan School for Children (PS133). So, as we were getting ready for out tutoring session for EDUC 860, I mentioned something about the College where I go to school, and the boy said, "YOU GO TO COLLEGE? YOU'RE TOO OLD TO GO TO SCHOOL". Wow! That made me pause to reflect to when I did my Undergraduate at University of Florida back in the 80's, over 20 some years ago. "Back in my time (here I go sounding like Gramps), I said to him, we typed our term papers with an electric typewriter! We didn't have computers, we would spend endless hours in the library researching and reading source materials. Today, you can just Google everything and never leave your house, just do your whole paper from your laptop!". His eyes were opened so wide in disbelief....Here this 10 year old couldn't even imagine a life without computers and above all COMPUTER GAMES!

This is the digital age we live in. I was reading another classmartes blog regarding teaching her mom how to use a Mac. Well, I was in the same boat when I got my first iPod 5 years ago. I would actually wait for my neices to come visit me in NYC and have them give me tutorals in all of the magical wonders of the Nano. Being that they were in college or graduating, (legal drinking age), I would reward them for their efforts with a beer at the local bar. Not such a bad Uncle, no?

It was reciprocal, though. I have vast knowledge of things they never knew existed. I could teach them things like, how to adjust an antenae TV (Rabbit ears and all!), How to make a Mixed Tape (remember them?) Even how to do laundry, I swear these kids are used to having their parents STILL do everything for them.

The point I am trying to make is that older generations/younger generations share a symbiotic co-existenes and I think that's pretty cool. I am still learning new technologies everyday, like programming my DVR, using my new Droid phone ( I only use 1/4, I'm sure of what my smartphone can actually do). Come to think of it, my Neice Katie will be visiting from UT Austin in a couple of weeks, maybe Uncle will reward her with some beers when whe shows me all of the hidden wonders of my Droid!