Blog Post 5

 If you choose the stock option, I'd like you to engage some (not all: the following questions are meant to inspire you, not a list of everything you need to say) of what Baron says about the uses of writing technologies: what are your feelings about e-books versus print books? If you prefer print, do you like hardcover or softcover, and why? In his Preface, Baron notes the history of instructional technologies used in classrooms: pencils, typewriters, radio, TV, computers, and now phones and tablets have all been used in classrooms. What are some of your experiences of successful versus unsuccessful uses of classroom technologies (aside from that unfortunate pop-up ad from Daily motion the other day)? If you have big lecture classes that don't require attendance, do you go—and why or why not? Do you use writing more for memory or transmission? What do you think about the argument offered by Thamus?

I remember a time when I would sit in front of the TV, holding down a button to rewind a VHS tape so I could watch my favorite Disney Movie. I remember floppy disks and cassette tapes and thinking to myself how cool this technology was. Now we have DVDs, USBs, and CDs that are easier to use and can store more information. Now instead of taking a few laborious minutes to rewind my Disney Movie, I can watch it instantly and in a variety of languages.

Technology is constantly improving, nothing stays "new" for long. During the Greek age writing was introduced. Many found this technology harmful for the populace to learn. Among those who found it harmful was Plato. In his work Phaedrus he warns that writing will cause human memory to become weaker:

"This invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory. Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them."

If Plato found this technology so terrible than why did he write this down? Why use this tool if he found it so harmful? I think that by writing his argument down he made his point irrelevant. Also, if he did not write this down, would we have been able to learn about it? Would oral tradition have passed down his Phaedrus perfectly? The answer is no. Probably over the years his work would have changed drastically and many versions would have been created, because of oral speakers and their own embellishments over the course of time.

 Now, today instead of the argument of technology it is the argument for what TYPE of technology. Like I mentioned earlier as a child I would watch Disney movies. At this time VHS tapes were popular soon though there was the argument for VHS tapes or DVDs. DVDs eventually won because of storage space and more options available. Presently, we have the argument e-books or print books. I, personally, love both of these options. I love having hundreds of books at my disposal in my phone or e-reader and being able to read them on the go. However, if I love a book enough, I also love having a hardcover copy of it and storing it into my personally library to read later. Also, with a hardcover book the battery will never die and take no electric energy, while reading. (I like hardcovers over soft covers, because they generally look better, last longer, and sell for more.) To me both the print book and the ebook have its uses and neither should be taken out of the market. But, what about other new technologies that are being widely used?

Should we use tablets and phones in class? Should there be lecture classes anymore? Or should lecture classes force attendance if the information is available online?

As a DTC major I believe that technology should be used as much as possible in the classroom. This is because when we go into our chosen fields, we WILL be using our tablets, phones, computers and other forms of technology to do our various jobs. Even food deliverers use computers to calculate online orders. If school is to prepare us for our future careers then we should at least use the technology that we will use in the future.

If we did use technology too much however, such as the online class, skills that we need can be lost as well. Like communication skills within groups, or large crowds of people. Even those in the computer fields have to interact with people on a daily basis. So, there should be a careful balance between technology and human interactions. I, personally, would go to a lecture class regardless if it was mandatory or not, because I want to truly understand the material and receive the interaction skills necessary for my future career.

In all, I think that the invention of writing has not damaged the populace as a whole, eBooks and print books both have their uses, technology should be used in the classroom, and that irregardless of whether attendance is mandatory for a lecture class I will still go to that class.