Comments on: Right for the Job: Teachers and Audiences at SXSW http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/ Berkman investigators, fellows, research assistants and interns sound off about all things Digital Natives Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:20:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Digital Natives » The Future of Digital Natives Dialogue http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/comment-page-1/#comment-5132 Digital Natives » The Future of Digital Natives Dialogue Fri, 15 May 2009 16:21:21 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/#comment-5132 [...] Diana and I spoke at South by Southwest in March (Diana’s previous posts on the issue: 1, 2, and 3), we presented knowing that we were only a few of the Digital Native generation that had [...] [...] Diana and I spoke at South by Southwest in March (Diana’s previous posts on the issue: 1, 2, and 3), we presented knowing that we were only a few of the Digital Native generation that had [...]

]]> By: Digital Natives » Digital Natives SXSW Podcast http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/comment-page-1/#comment-4684 Digital Natives » Digital Natives SXSW Podcast Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:07:43 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/#comment-4684 [...] got word from Alex Leavitt that the podcast from our panel at SXSW is now [...] [...] got word from Alex Leavitt that the podcast from our panel at SXSW is now [...]

]]> By: Keith Daniell http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/comment-page-1/#comment-4626 Keith Daniell Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:55:57 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2009/03/25/right-for-the-job-teachers-and-audiences-at-sxsw/#comment-4626 This is indeed a fascinating subject, particularly in light of the still "primitive" technology currently being used in techno-classrooms with various technological setups or communications in general on the net, whether through Skype, holograms or posts like this. I think the key here is your reference to "analog interaction". What does this really mean in a digital world that is rapidly evolving and able to simulate analog systems to the point of being indistinguishable from the real thing? An example right now might be an acoustic grand piano sound faithfully reproduced by a digital synthesizer. A teacher, in general, prefers to interact directly with a student or small classroom because of the holistic properties of the communication: expressions, emotion, gestures, type of clothing, perceived age, posture etc. all fold into the interchange. Technology is not there yet. Like you have observed, a bored student online simply "isn't there". There is no palpable feedback that enhances the experience, e.g. a teacher (back in my day) picking up a chalk eraser and dusting a groggy student's head. But discovering that you are meeting resistance to this concept in terms of tools and solutions to enhance the real experience speaks volumes about the potential of where accelerating technology is taking us even in the short term... and how resistant or accepting we will be. Chances are the digital natives will embrace it, hopefully mindful of the additional risks expected with any new technology (I have not read "Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives" yet). What is mind boggling to me is that we will reach a point when teacher/students will be able to face each other in a future virtual classroom that will be indistinguishable from the physical experience of their bodies actually being present and sharing a room. At that point there will be the additional BIG unknown of what the enhanced technological role will be and all the tools that can be employed in this future classroom... tools that are rapidly evolving on social sites, net meetings, AI and neuro-labs (e.g. melding of mind and machine where there is already a capability of controlling cursors on a PC screen with your thoughts). It will be interesting to see what "better than analog" teaching will look like down the road in these amazing times. It might not even be remotely close to the description of a group of humans occupying/interacting/sharing thoughts in the same space... or at the same time. Might be fun to check out what the school's local A.I. group is working on lately and see how far along we are. This is indeed a fascinating subject, particularly in light of the still “primitive” technology currently being used in techno-classrooms with various technological setups or communications in general on the net, whether through Skype, holograms or posts like this.

I think the key here is your reference to “analog interaction”. What does this really mean in a digital world that is rapidly evolving and able to simulate analog systems to the point of being indistinguishable from the real thing? An example right now might be an acoustic grand piano sound faithfully reproduced by a digital synthesizer.

A teacher, in general, prefers to interact directly with a student or small classroom because of the holistic properties of the communication: expressions, emotion, gestures, type of clothing, perceived age, posture etc. all fold into the interchange. Technology is not there yet. Like you have observed, a bored student online simply “isn’t there”. There is no palpable feedback that enhances the experience, e.g. a teacher (back in my day) picking up a chalk eraser and dusting a groggy student’s head.

But discovering that you are meeting resistance to this concept in terms of tools and solutions to enhance the real experience speaks volumes about the potential of where accelerating technology is taking us even in the short term… and how resistant or accepting we will be. Chances are the digital natives will embrace it, hopefully mindful of the additional risks expected with any new technology (I have not read “Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives” yet).

What is mind boggling to me is that we will reach a point when teacher/students will be able to face each other in a future virtual classroom that will be indistinguishable from the physical experience of their bodies actually being present and sharing a room. At that point there will be the additional BIG unknown of what the enhanced technological role will be and all the tools that can be employed in this future classroom… tools that are rapidly evolving on social sites, net meetings, AI and neuro-labs (e.g. melding of mind and machine where there is already a capability of controlling cursors on a PC screen with your thoughts).

It will be interesting to see what “better than analog” teaching will look like down the road in these amazing times. It might not even be remotely close to the description of a group of humans occupying/interacting/sharing thoughts in the same space… or at the same time. Might be fun to check out what the school’s local A.I. group is working on lately and see how far along we are.

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