Horizon Report Reflection

The Horizon Report – Collaboration Webs – 3/19/08

This article overviews the explosion of technologies which are available for businesses, students, educators or for any person to post information, photos, video, audio etc.. In my experience, these new technologies are in widespread use especially among the younger generation. Students are regularly keeping me up to date about the “newest” (cool or hip), method to communicate over the web. It is exciting to watch students embrace these new methods, and also great for me as a resource to get occasional help. I have find that these technologies useful for diversification of assignments and lesson plans. I also am finding that I am learning new ways to communicate through the use of collaboration websites other than through Internet e-mail, which both useful and fun.

I have observed that another result is the development of student “multi- tasking”, where usually, the Internet and various forms of communication is involved. Students are using text messaging, cellphones, chat rooms, Blogging websites, as well as sites such as FaceBook, or MySpace to communicate sometimes simultaneously with each other, as well as with others from neighboring schools or throughout our state, country or in some instances, the world. Today's student is not only more connected to the world through modern communication tools, but is also capable of learning new technologies quickly and efficiently.

While it is obvious the advantages these new modes of communication offer businesses, students, and educators, there is is some question of how the change in the use of communication may affect the development of student's social behaviors. Are we in affect “dumbing” down expectations for handwriting skills, spelling, sentence structure and grammar usage? Is it too easy for students to access information without having to use book resources? Is the availability if information through the Internet promoting the abuse of copyright laws and also student accountability and integrity? Are students loosing the advantage of social interaction on a face to face basis or through the hand writing of paper letters (or snail mail)?

We can conclude that these technologies are advantageous when used correctly, and when student, teachers and businesses honor copyright laws and behave with accountability and integrity. It is also easy to imagine that as time marches on, more technologies will be developed to help with keeping these concerns in check, (for example the use of “turnitin.com” which automatically checks for copyright infringement).