Post #edcmooc Vew of Tech Dystopia

An interesting article from the New York Times  about an often understated piece of the dystopian aspect of technology. Though not directly stated, the author is referring to technology and automation supplanting many working class and middle class jobs in the US and probably many other regions. The ones that have evaporated and most probably "ain't" coming back because machines are more cost effective.

While most journalists and politicians like to hammer on about the economic costs, this article points out the real costs in terms of social and emotional health and the disconnect from society and social support systems that unemployment  creates.

I wonder if MOOC's are in way supporting the evolution of the human social construct where people are connected in a collaborative and often team approach to problem solving? In that way MOOCs are supporting the evolutionary growth of the intellectual and social capital of both individuals and the species as a whole.

Week 4 #edcmooc

True to form, I have never really been a very good "traditional student" and had little motivation to read or respond to the undergraduate assignments of dissecting metaphor or the underlying meanings of videos or readings. Though in my early 20's, I thought dissecting T. S. Eliot or Ingmar Bergmann or having the ability to read and dissect Baudelaire in the original French was pretty cool. I now prefer to stay in the present and appreciate art for whatever it elicits or does not elicit within my being in the present moment.

I no longer divide the world or ethics or art into categories nor am willing to waste any energy pretending to down regulate my mental software in order to go traipsing back to a less developed mental state. After years of having to rapidly assimilate data and formulate action plans in order to keep my little piece of the universe flowing, that type of conscious analyzation was dumped from conscious processing to the nethers of subconsciousness (machine language?) long ago.

Instead, this course was professional development for me, learning about resources to utilize in e and digital learning, and as such, I would consider well worth my investment of time.

It has been enlightening to view my colleagues' blogs and digital creations. It has inspired me to get on with a work project and given me the confidence to quit worrying about  everything being "perfect" and just get on with it. I will be trying different methods of conveying information in many facets of my professional life.

I learned something from absolutely everyone I connected with in this wonderful experience.Thanks to all the participants in MOOC #edcmooc for educating me.

One version of the Future of Public Education#edcmooc

What I think is interesting about Seth Godin's TEDXyouth talk is this message is delivered directly to school age children as well as the educators and administrators.

And he is very direct and accurate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXpbONjV1Jc

Final Musings on Week 1 #edcmooc Films and Articles

Though I watched all the films, I will speak on "Thursday" For me it depicted a balance of utopian v dystopian in the female and male characters. The female character seemed perfectly content, as many people I know, to interact with her device, engage stress free with all of the digital technology around and sort of "go with flow." On the other hand, the male character seemed to always be in a state of "quiet desperation", annoyed at the sun for casting a shadow on his screen, annoyed with the blinds to shut out the sun, out of sync (probably not the first time) with the hand print scanner. The only true emotion I saw from him was a bit of anguish at the possible demise of the bird outside his window.

And the bird (possessor of agency), just went on with life dealing with technology as it would anything else that came up. Makes me wonder where real intelligence lies.

I viewed "New Media" as art . It made me wish I could produce the art. The other two films really did not resonate with me.

I read all of the articles, or rather skimmed through all but two. I have little patience left for having to read academic jargon positioning in any discipline. I liked Daniel's article probably because the subject resonates with me and it was presented in a clear balanced approach. He was utopian in his enthusiasm with open education and clear enough to present the economics of it which is crucial in any project. And warnings to be on the look out for bias and bull, though not emphasized as such, are the very dystopic side of media in general and how it can be used for one-sided gains.

If one uses year of birth as the determining factor, I should be a digital immigrant, but am much more comfortable as a digital native. As a self-structured learner, I probably would have made better grades in school with more autonomy over my education. My personal experience from working with many people who chronologically are digital natives, they may have digital skills I lack and I may have digital skills they lack. This is with those do not have "tech" related jobs.

Final Musings on Week 1 #edcmooc Posting 1-Language

 In a global learning environment, I wonder about the issues of the subtleties of language, especially in the use of humor. I have found  there are very subtle, cultural driven nuances in the "hidden" meanings of words along with phrasing and body language that give language and words meaning. I know most people "speak" or read or write English or use Google translator constantly. But often meaning is very cultural driven. Even within the same country, it is so. And it takes time and almost immersion in a different region or culture to learn the often hidden meanings or messages behind the same words.

I wonder if anyone else has thought about or dealt with the many meaning behind language.

Dystopian View of Tech in Education #edcmooc

e

Utopian View of Tech in Education #edcmooc