Is Technology Becoming Boring?
For the first time this semester, I had pre-service teeachers complain about web communication. Two students said they were tired of blogging. One said his sister blogs 24/7, and he hates it and would never use it in his classroom. Several students said they just didn't get around to participating regularly--it was one more thing on their to-do list. Are we beginning to see a backlash as technology integration moves from gee-whiz to ho-hum?
Tags: tech_overload
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul Ross on -
Technology use comes in waves as new becomes old and constant passion wains to occasional efforts. The challenge is in finding the right mix of what's new and how it can be used to focus efforts into something that becomes meaningful to the individual for the long haul. In 1999 I created my own blogging system and blogged nearly every day for 14 months. To blog now is a reminder of how much effort it takes and that blogging is mostly focused on the external audience. Remember back to the days where creating video tutorials and clips in RealMedia was the done thing. Fifteen years later the technology has changed to include new features and functions using services such as Animoto, Flex/Flash interactions and Ustream (plus many many more . . ).
I theorize there has been an emphasis on technological tools and not discussions about the purpose or reasons why/how a particular tool can used to satisfy an educational objective. The tools come last, the architect and vision comes first. I would be interested in knowing though what technologies the pre-service teachers have been exposed to and how was the technology used or discussed in relation to classroom adoption, student learning etc?
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Permalink Reply by John Painter on -
A couple thoughts, I'm somewhat new to ISTE, an old instructor introduced it to me last year when I was in a NLE video editing course. Anyway, its my observation that blogging or at least "good blogging" if there is such a thing, takes time and dedication, a requisite skill which is pre-content mastery one is blogging about Unless the blogging is pure "flow". I believe blogging and even Twittering is something which does not come easily any more than writing good haiku. It strikes me maybe that its not the technology as much as what it represents, good communication skills.
As a doctoral student myself, having taken hybrid classes which use blogging, to write and read through posts on one hand is a fantastic way to chronical thought development, there's much to be said for asynchronous written communication - it can really allow thought content to bloom. But. It takes as much, though quite different, mental concentration to work through and is not a "time saver" as much as it is a localizer - allowing one to participate in meaningful dialogue from some distance away.
Blogging, to be really effective, I think, has to be a two way communication.
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Permalink Reply by Karl Smithe on -
Shouldn't we distinguish between technology and the use of technology?
How much stuff written on blogs is boring useless junk? How is that different from boring useless junk written on paper?
The problem for everyone now is filtering out all of the low quality information. I could search on something in 1999 and get 20 or 30 hits. I could look at all of them if necessary to find which one was truly relevant. Search on the same thing now and 500 turn up, plenty of them on blogs and have nothing whatsoever to do with what I want.
New rule for the internet. "If it's not important, don't type it." LOL
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Permalink Reply by Scott Merrick on -
Who is it, Daniel Pink? Who says that nothing is truly adapted to a culture until it becomes boring? Tom Hayes? Malcolm Gladwell? Probably all of 'em.
IMHO the fact that we're debating it might mean that tech has become truly mainstream. It shouldn't be an effort to dazzle, but a collective adoption of that which works.
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Permalink Reply by John Painter on
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I like this response. From a humanities perspective I know the NHC has stated that digital humanities in all forms is national priority. As the novelty of the gadgetness wears off from blogging we're left with that raw underlying desire to connect with others. I'm not sure about Daniel Pink, but I suspect Clifford Gertz would love this look at the semiotic nature of texting, blogging and the deep meaning embedded into such forms of communication.
I'll go on a limb.. maybe the "new" ho hum about blogging is reflective of not the volume of the information communicated, but the nature, the quality, depth and dimensionality. This is hard to grasp - one really has to develop an "ear" for, and even then the deeper one goes into looking at the layering of meaning(s) in a blog the more challenging it is to get. Thinking of Geertz, I think that Tweeting might be the gold standard in terms of general communication (hence its growth) because one is limited to 140 characters. The issue with communication is, the more it goes on, and the more sophisticated it becomes the less clear it becomes. I'm sure anyone else working on a dissertation will either disagree or groan at the thought of what lies ahead. While we draw a conclusion in our work, we never really find THE conclusion.
The deeper blogging becomes the harder it will be comprehend. This has nothing to do with technology per se, it has everything to do with the nature of human communication.
This is a lovely thread. Thank you.
Scott Merrick said:Who is it, Daniel Pink? Who says that nothing is truly adapted to a culture until it becomes boring? Tom Hayes? Malcolm Gladwell? Probably all of 'em.
IMHO the fact that we're debating it might mean that tech has become truly mainstream. It shouldn't be an effort to dazzle, but a collective adoption of that which works.
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Permalink Reply by Judy Battraw on -
There is one key difference: Blogging in the classroom is an assignment. We'd all like to think that communication enters in, but when teachers assign 4-6 sentences on Topic X, with 1-2 sentence responses to two others, the nature of the communication changes. Is it really possible to run a classroom blog with no participation requirement--in which everyone participates for the sole pleasure of communication?
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Permalink Reply by cprofitt on -
Boring? Perhaps if we are using 'old' technology. Blogging is old. Then again for a great many people when they are 'required' to do something it ceases to be 'fun'.
The problem for everyone now is filtering out all of the low quality information.
That is not the problem -- that is the environment. The ability to filter information has always been a skill.
Anyway, its my observation that blogging or at least "good blogging" if there is such a thing, takes time and dedication, a requisite skill which is pre-content mastery one is blogging about Unless the blogging is pure "flow".
One of the things that made blogging what is was in the near past was that it was coming from people directly and unfiltered by editors and powerful forces. The raw and personal nature of it was part of the attraction and the other part was that 'people' made it popular - not scripted programs or media controlled efforts (HuffPo). The blogging most people see when experiencing it today is a controlled professional mush produced by big media. [link].
Fifteen years later the technology has changed to include new features and functions using services such as Animoto, Flex/Flash interactions and Ustream (plus many many more . . ).
Flash is old. It is already being replaced. One issue facing education is that it is usually behind the 'tech' curve. Very few educators are true 'technologists' and keep up-to-date on the new and exciting.
Not that my ramblings answered the question... but I hope it helps us formulate one.
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Permalink Reply by Maryanne Burgos on -
Like Judy, I also teach pre-service or "in-service" teachers. My online course is about using tech tools in the K12 classroom. I have not found that my students are bored with blogging yet, although some have already used blogs in other courses. Perhaps as John suggests, we need to encourage "good blogging" in the same way we encourage good essays.
In his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Webtools for Classrooms which we use as a text, Will Richardson makes a distinction between journaling and blogging. He suggests that blogging should be Extended analysis and synthesis over a longer period of time that builds on previous posts, links and comments. It's the true connective nature of blogs that makes them useful. He also suggests that blog posts should only be made after extensive reading of other edubloggers' posts.
However, I must mention that I have come across students who have become exasperated when they have had to post comments on other students' blogs, when there is really nothing to say. That problem I would attribute to poor planning on the part of the teacher. As Paul mentioned, the emphasis should be on the educational objectives, not just using the "cool gadgets." What purpose is served by having a student write "Nicely done!" Commenting can add a lot to the educational experience if it fits pedagogical purposes, but it takes careful planning on the part of the instructor. Then again, doesn't everything! :-)
John Painter said:A couple thoughts, I'm somewhat new to ISTE, an old instructor introduced it to me last year when I was in a NLE video editing course. Anyway, its my observation that blogging or at least "good blogging" if there is such a thing, takes time and dedication, a requisite skill which is pre-content mastery one is blogging about Unless the blogging is pure "flow". I believe blogging and even Twittering is something which does not come easily any more than writing good haiku. It strikes me maybe that its not the technology as much as what it represents, good communication skills.
As a doctoral student myself, having taken hybrid classes which use blogging, to write and read through posts on one hand is a fantastic way to chronical thought development, there's much to be said for asynchronous written communication - it can really allow thought content to bloom. But. It takes as much, though quite different, mental concentration to work through and is not a "time saver" as much as it is a localizer - allowing one to participate in meaningful dialogue from some distance away.
Blogging, to be really effective, I think, has to be a two way communication.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Murdoch on -
"tools don't get socially interesting until they get technologically boring," - Clay Shirky
One upon a time even paper was impressive. "We're confusing growth with growing up"
I don't think we will see a backlash. I think we will see less emphasis on technology and more emphasis on its applications and social possibilities. Once the social aspects kick in, there is no turning back. Collaborating with a class in Norway? Using Skype as part of it all? There is so much. Yes blogging is boring, that's why Twitter came along. ...it's microblogging. I would venture to say (even though I have one) that a blog is not technology. It's a journal you keep online. Try some new exciting things! Happy to help with suggestions.
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Permalink Reply by Allison Adair Cush on -
Funny you should mention this. I am considering a research project involving classroom blogging used for increased communication. My plan is not to make blogging a requirement, but a tool.
Judy Battraw said:There is one key difference: Blogging in the classroom is an assignment. We'd all like to think that communication enters in, but when teachers assign 4-6 sentences on Topic X, with 1-2 sentence responses to two others, the nature of the communication changes. Is it really possible to run a classroom blog with no participation requirement--in which everyone participates for the sole pleasure of communication?
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Permalink Reply by Judy Battraw on
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I think that if you do that, you should expect that some will not participate (depending on the necessity of the tool for a particular function) and that some will participate only perfunctorally.
I am trying to use blogs (in Blogger) as a real-world alternative to the course management discussion forum. At my institution, discussion forum posts are commonly required in online classes. The topic or question for each post is assigned. The length of the post (in sentences or words) is defined, and the number of responses to others is specified. Posts are commonly graded, not just given points for participation. This heavy-duty structure is considered best practice. Is it?
Of course, spontaneous communication suffers. On the other hand, I've left it more unstructured, and most students don't participate.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Murdoch on
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These are adult teachers you are referring to, right? I am convinced that blogging is not the answer. After all, it is obligatory writing, nothing different than writing in a journal except that others can see it. Perhaps collaboration online tools, things that are more exciting and make their life easier and more interesting, will be what attracts them. Some of the 37 signals collaboration tools are simple, fun, and pull people together (www.37signals.com). Google docs is even getting better and better. Have them make fun videos on Animoto with photos that tell their stories, instead of writing. Nobody gets sick of Animoto. As the real world starts for these folks perhaps showing them real world applications a step beyond blogging is the way to get them to appreciate technology for what it is - a way to make life easier, not to add on a layer of obligation. Just my opinion :)
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