Reed I

     The first few chapters of Reed struck me as very similar to a class I've taken at WSU already called DTC 356. The information provided about the lack of internet access worldwide would have struck me as more unsettling had I not taken the class previously.

     I think as Americans we have a cultural bias of what actually goes on around the world and even though we have access to this amazing technology we are still very centralized as a people. There seems to be a lack of knowledge on current event in the United States, or media is skewed to fit into some sort of demographic or media scheme.

    I digress, I would like to take a moment to reflect on what we spoke about in class around the reading of Ong. That discussion roughly translates over to the ability to record information and have that readily available is essentially power. With that said I think it is valuable for people to view the internet as a superb example of a codex of the modern world's technology and that this knowledge is seemingly innumerable in its immensity.

    Don't get me wrong here there is a lot of garbage on the internet but there is also information that could turn the studious into a master in no time at all.
   
     I guess what I would like you to take away from this post is a thought. What if the world shifted its focus on providing the underdeveloped world access to this technology? How far would the world come? How much would the world change? It's a crazy thing to think about, imagine if all the information modern western culture had at their disposable magically became available to the entire world.

     Oh the possibilities.

Tapscott II

     I want to focus on education past, present, and future in this blog post. Its weaknesses, its strength, and its importance in society. I want to examine why things were how they were, are how they are, and what the could possibly evolve into.

    Education seems to hit a point of stagnation, unless of course you are lucky to be in a privileged area of the country. It seems to take the most hits in government budgeting, and this can't really fly in the country now. There has been a radical shift in technology grow since even I was in grade school, and the education seems to be unable to keep up or they just choose not to.

     The environment most public schools provide for learning is in every sense of the word obsolete. Its an environment that almost absolutely discourages the use of technology, and provides education material from sources that would be deemed irrelevant in an area of higher education. With that said it can't all be bad there are a number of schools that are starting to break this old trend, but I believe it is still very far from a new education standard.

     Introduction of technology in the classroom seems to be the next step. Why is it so slowly being harnessed? I couldn't tell you for sure maybe funding, maybe reluctance of teaching professionals? All I know is that current education it isn't doing a good job of preparing students of what is to come or what to expect as the world and workforce continues to evolve.

    For the future of education I expect a paradigm shift, from analog learning to digital learning. It makes it easier to stay up on current information. The shift could ultimately change the amount of total funding required to update allowing schools to function of less money while remaining relevant. E-textbooks alone could radically alter the way school function today, cutting out lockers, backpacks causing issues for students and most important of all allowing material to remain relevant.

    In short why aren't we funding this? I personally don't understand. I think it could be done, and it could very well set a modern education standard in the process. Thoughts?