Week 10: Growing Up Digital

The common theme across many of the readings and videos this week is the impact of technology, particularly on young people and how we are not necessarily using it to our fullest advantage. Technology is such a major influence on young people’s lives and often times having negative effects but it does have the potential, like most things with balance and appreciation to be beneficial.

Jane McGonigal’s talk about games and their influence was very interesting. It certainly portrayed games in a different view than I had previously considered. She addressed the many skills and attributes that young people learn from playing games, specifically online games, like optimism, productivity, and the ability to successfully collaborate. Unfortunately, most of these skills are usually only expressed while playing games and not transferred to real world situations. She posed the idea of creating more real world games where young people can practice and build on the skills learned and potentially actually use in their everyday lives.

Sherry Turkle’s audio clip on her book “Alone Together” was very intriguing. She raised many valid points about the way that people are completely consumed by technology, particularly their phones with texting, emails, and social networks. Her discussion on how young people feel estranged and neglected by their parents because of their attachments to their devices was interesting. She also mentioned that young people are losing the skill of conversation because they are choosing to text.

In the end, I was inspired to be more reflective on my own personal relationship with technology and how I can improve. Making sure that I remind myself about what has to be checked or viewed especially while spending time with people that are important to me. I think it’s also necessary as parents to make sure that we help our children to understand the power and importance of face to face conversations and also to remember to have a balanced relationship with technology. Too much of anything is not a good thing. I think it’s also critical that young people become more aware of the lasting effects of their digital footprints and to be more cautious of the things they send out into the digital world.

Works Cited:

McGonigal, J. (2010, February). Gaming can make a better world. Video retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html

Turkle, S. (2012, October 17). In constant digital contact we feel alone. Audio retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2012/10/18/163098594/in-constant-digital-contact-we-feel-alone-together