"Growing Up Online" - PBS Documentary

2009-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

The Internet has developed its own world, a world without boundaries, from uploading your pictures with friends to changing your own identity. The Internet has its own life. It feeds on our own data we upload. No one can control it. We can only limit the data we upload and be responsible for what sort of information we’re allowing the whole world to see. The effects it has had on our new generation are accurately depicted on the documentary “Growing Up Online” by PBS Frontline.

One main point that I’m going to discuss from the documentary is the reliability on new technological ways to develop education.

The new generation relies on advanced technology on most of their socializing and educational activities. An example is communication through social networks and instant messengers and gaining information needed from multiple sources through the Internet. However, has this development in technology had a negative effect on our lives? The answer is: yes and no.

Yes – because nowadays education has become easier for those who have access to the Internet. The Web has great source of information on anything you can imagine. Communication has become immediate and easy. Through e-mails, instant messengers and social networking sites, students can form discussions for certain subjects that may concern their education. Also, the documentary mentioned the High School Greg Bukata attended had a rather developed educational system through this new technology, such as data boards, computers in every classroom, and LCD projectors. As the principals had explained, the learners of today won’t be engrossed by teachers speaking in a monotone voice with a piece a chalk in their hand.

No – due to the fact that plagiarism or other ways of ‘cheating’ is becoming much more tempting for the students with so much source of information. An example is Greg’s comment on a site called ‘Spark Notes ‘, where you can read a whole book in just a couple of pages. It gathers most of the important information. Furthermore, as also mentioned in the documentary, this new generation is so used to immediate information and clicking from source to another, that reading books has become a difficult and time-consuming task for them.

In my opinion to all of this, I agree with most of the interviewees in the documentary on technology and education nowadays. In a few words, we cannot stop change – and it’s harder to go against the current. The best way is to flow with it and make the best out of it (like Greg Bukata’s high school).

Elias's CS12 Blog

"Growing Up Online" - PBS Documentary