Perspective+on+the+Digital+Age

Technology plays a critical role in all our futures whether we like it or not. So it is incumbent on us all to seek to make it as additive as possible while seeking out, confronting, and managing all the negative consequences that come along with technology.

My experiences with technology have always been positive. One significant advantage I have had is early positive exposure to the potentials and early developments of computers. It is also a huge advantage that I naturally take to new technology and figure it out easily. That is why I ran my own technology consulting firm for about 6 years back in the last 90’s – without any formal education in computers. I got bored with dealing with computers and sold the business to focus on non-profit management work, but I still get excited and have worked closely with new technologies in my work as a consultant and in finance. I manage a home network of 16 networked devices and have plans to expand.

One of my particular interests in education in the digital age is in the potential of tablet computers– especially for economically challenged schools. They are far cheaper than laptops and far more portable. My own daughters ease with working my iPad and the potential it holds for literacy, flipping the classroom, research, integration of gaming and learning – play and work – all hold such potential. The real need is for software development based on research proven techniques. There is a lot of excellent software now – but it remains disjointed and often is lost in a sea of lame software apps.

A final thought on working and learning in the digital age is a core belief in the interconnectedness in all things. This is represented not only in ecological sciences and academic studies, but in the connection of working and learning and playing. The delineation and compartmentalizing of these areas of our lives I believe is artificial. I loved the video describing the need to bring games into education. Why can’t learning be fun? The digital age holds the greatest promise of breaking free from these artificial social constructs and truly integrating life – work, learning, playing everything.

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