A Future Fiction

Warlick, D. (2004) A Future Fiction. Library Media Connection. Retrieved May 26, 2005 from http://davidwarlick.com/ff_article/

This was a very interesting article but some things were a bit frightening to me. I am not real sure how I feel about the chips being located on every individual person so as to keep track of a persons location is at all times. I did relax a little after reading the locator chips would be located on ID cards and not on or in an individual.

The interesting parts of the article were the lessons and technology that was being used. I read several good points on how lesson were divided. Many students today are very technology savvy and the article shows where students are to work in the parts of the assignment that are not their strong areas. Also the assignments focused more on the students writing skills (text and IM abbreviation writing is not appropriate in most academic or professional instances). In teaching in this technology era that we find ourselves in, netiquette is also an important focus.

This is one reason I think the web filtering at schools are TOO extensive. Web filters is the negative downfall in the technology era. I sat in a faculty meeting last week where we were told teaching is different today and how we have to go with this technology, yet there are blocks on many pertinent websites because “students CAN get to inappropriate sites.”

I believe we need to teach what is right and wrong instead of blocking sites. First of all, most students know how to get around these blocks. Secondly, important and good sites are being blocked. I also know from experience that if I am told I can’t have or do something, I am going to want to do it more. Some blocks are good but I truly believe they are being used entirely too much.