Happy Tuesday!
Today we begin talking about how technology changes our lives, and quite possibly our brains. Is technology an advantage? Does it help us save time and make us smarter/better? Or, is it a disadvantage, creating more problems than it solves? We will watch a Frontline News Story called Digital Nation about this topic and then have discussions. English subtitles (CC).
Today (Tuesday), just watch Chapter 1 and comment. (You can watch more if you want)
------------EACH VIDEO CHAPTER IS ONLY 6-12 MINUTES LONG---------------
1. Choose "watch online" to view the video
(Press the << button on the bottom right side of the video screen for English words)
2. Choose "transcript" if you want to read the words to the video separate.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/programs/categories/8.html
After watching a chapter, please post/comment 2 new vocabulary words that you have learned and a short comment/opinion about the topic in the chapter. You do not have to comment on every chapter this/next week, just the ones that interest you. Thanks!!!
Chapter 1 Distracted by Everything (Students at MIT- multi-tasking)
Chapter 2 What's it Doing to Their Brains? (Stanford-- multi-tasking)
Chapter 3 South Korea's Gaming Craze
Chapter 4 Teaching with Technology
Chapter 5 The Dumbest Generation?
Chapter 6 Relationships
Chapter 7 Virtual Worlds (IBM Company)
Chapter 8 Can Virtual Experiences Change us? (U.S. Military)
Chpater 9 Where are We Headed?
*****IF THIS IS TOO HARD, OR YOU ARE FINISHED WITH A FRONTLINE CHAPTER****
Go the California Distance Learning Project link under "Listening and Comprehension"
1. Choose Science and Technology
2. Choose one:
*Ready, Click, Spend
*Computers in the Classroom
*Computer Virus
*Video Games
3. Listen and do the activities (including writing)
4. Email the results to me (Alison Wilcox) at awilcox40@yahoo.com
Have fun!!! :)
9 comments:
This TV programme is interesting. And PBS TV station have many interesting programme, for example, NOVA.
I'm not used to technology. Advantage of technology to me is only "convenience and time saving". That's it.
We are living in too much informative world. We live in flood of excessive informations.
So life is very complicated, past time old generation's life was simple.
These days people communicate with other people by devices(celluar phone/computer/etc.)
I think technology makes life very dry.
For example,people use email,that is convenient and fast but we can't feel any personal emotion. Sometimes I delude myself I talk to machine.
These days younsters are raised up in technological environment.They live digital life.
So it's possible to do multitasking. On the other hand old generation are not trained
in digital environment. They have lived in analog age..
That's why old generation can't do multitasking.
In my opinion, young generation is smarter than old generation.But not wiser than old generation.
Young generation don't have wisdom of life. I believe proper technology is good, excessiveness isn't good for life.
Joseph Ahn
I was mistaken!
I am under the false impression that I have been using the computer only in real life. but I am living in the virtual world now.
My thinking is dominated by the Internet. and I am driven by the thinking(reason).
"Digital Nation" gave me a chance to look back that "who am I ?".
Rene Descartes said " I think therefore I am!" but 'I think?' or 'Internet think?', that is problem.
*My favorite Time-Saving Thing*
The Internet is my favorite time-saving program. It has some advantages and disadvantages at the same time. It gives me fun-everything is in there. I can get information quickly and easily. And also sometimes I'm bored, it helps to kill time. But it has several disadvantages. When I use the Internet, I worry about addiction. It can be bad for my health. Even though I have lot of other things to do, for example-cooking,cleaning house,food shopping. I postphone these things. This addiction makes me stay at one place and also I won't think. I rely on the computer everytime. Even though it has many disadvantages, I like to browse the web because it is very fun.
I think the internet is some times addictive , but sometimes just a phenomenon . The Internet just like a knife , It can use it but you also might be injured by it .Totally depends on how you use it . Many parents thought their kids are spends a lot the times on the internet . they are in the class with falling grades and not much outside exercise . I think , It's ture because when I was 14-19years old I was very cazy about the online games too. At that time , I think the game is whole life . All day I thought about it even tried to cut class . it's done for my school education . On the other hand , when I was busy with online games , I kept out a lot of the troubles , like drugs gang etc......
The Internet is extensively used in the world.
people can quickly research anything,watching,listening or reading on the Internet.Also you can keep in touch with your friends or family and buy anything on it.In fact,people were denpendent on the Internet because it's very convenient to use.
Even though the Internet has more advantages,but on the other hand,it's disadvantage also influences people.Most people play games all day and they can't controt themselves.The Internet offers more information .Meanwhile,It has good or bad ,It depends on the person.Spam bring trouble that we need more time to deal with it.Sometimes when there is more information,We can't concentrate.
Although the Internet has disadvantages ,I love it very much.
I like the Internet because is the fast and easy way to communicate with my family and my friends in Italy, and u you use web-cam you can see the face and the expression of the interlocutor.
Another positive aspect is the free and fast research ,you can make a research from your computer without to pay the library and is very fast if you want switch the argument.
In the other hand there are many disadvantage about the Internet. the first problem is the addiction from Internet because too many people spend hours "online" on Internet and they can loose the connection with the world, they change the kind of communication with family and friends.
Although the Internet is very convenient , it isn't safe for your privacy.
One of the most important drawback is the "virus infection".
There are many people called "Hacker" that they can send a virus in your computer and they can watch your document files, picture and they can find the password for operate with your email address and they can operate with your credit card or bank account if you use On-line Banking"
Today, we are living in a modern society.There are many high technology devices that people are using in their daily life. But the research results that came from cusumers who have used those devices are different.
The cell phone users said ,althought the cell phone is convenient for cusumers, the radiation can easly harm our bodies and brains. Another opinion from cusumers who use computers.They said,eventhough computer has given a lot of benefits to user,the user depended on this technology too much and it really decayed our handwriting and brain activities.
Besides, the Internet has innumerable advantages that enriched our life.But a lot of people spend too much time online and they neglected their families, cmmunication with others and even their jobs.Especially teenagers who are addicted to playing the games on the Internet,they are relucted to do their homework and won't talk to their parents. Many teenagers just lack food and had less sleep when they played on the Internet. Those are big disadvantages for our children.
To sum up, it's better to manage the time when we use those devices .Also, the parents have to make rules to restrain the kids to play a limited time on the Internet. Don't over use the devices to avoid disadvantages.
MEI ZHU
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