Comparison of Documentaries

For this week we were asked to watch two documentaries and then answering all the following questions:

1.       Compare and Contrast each documentary.  What has changed from the first one (Growing Up Online) made in 2008 to the newer one (Digital Nation) filmed in 2010 ?

The two documentaries both discuss the digital age but reflect on different fears of what digital use is doing to people and our society.

Watch Growing Up Online on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

In Growing Up Online, which was filmed in 2008, the biggest fears for parents was losing their children to the internet. Technology was still rather new; parents and teachers didn’t know how to catch up with it which caused a lot of fears of an area that is misunderstood. Also children were not as aware of how to be good digital citizens and how what they do in the cyber world still impacted others in the real world. As with all new things the internet caused a lot of excitement for younger generations but they were improperly trained on how to use it ethically. Who can blame them? Teachers and parents didn’t know how to use it themselves so they could teach this. Society instead of focusing on proper training methods to teach children how to use the internet instead focused on dangers. It’s important to teach children the dangers that lurk in the cyber world and how to react to it but also teach them how to be good citizens in this new world by using it properly.

Watch Digital Nation on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

In Digital Nation society as a whole has accepted the new technologies available to them but many questions of its dangers have still not been answered. Parents are even more afraid of losing their children to the digital world because of compulsive online gaming. Teachers and parents are now more trained in some of the technologies used and are focusing on teaching children how to be good digital citizens. The problems now arising is: are we losing ourselves to online worlds and how is our mind reacting to these different stimuli. As discussed in the documentary there aren’t enough studies to show the benefits or drawbacks of the use of technology compared to not using technological tools. As with all things there are those who overdue it and can ruin it for everybody else. Technology needs to be used as a tool but not as a main source of all the sensory stimulants we need to grow and learn. The generation who grew up with these technologies is moving so fast that they don’t realize that they aren’t giving their brains enough time to catch up.

2.       Your thoughts on multitasking.  Do you agree?  Can you multitask?  Do you disagree?

Sometimes the simplest innovations can go a long way. I myself do attempt to multitask but have learned with age that it is not beneficial to do so. Multitasking is acceptable for personal time usage. For learning and work I don’t agree with multitasking for long periods of time. Each issue needs to be addressed with focus or our minds can’t consume all the information and the output is not as helpful. At work this can cause misunderstandings or miscommunication which can have negative outcomes. As for learning, I have found that if I focus on just each assignment with no distractions I have better results and I don’t get stressed. Sometimes we need to unplug ourselves from the online world.

3.       Is there an addiction happening in society today with technology or is it just a new way of living?  Should we be concerned?

In both documentaries parents discussed their concerns of how addicted children becoming to certain technological tools. The internet can let us reinvent ourselves and live out our fantasies but the problem is that people loose a grip on reality and can’t detach themselves from the internet. Internet addiction stems on people and children trying to satisfying something missing in their lives. How to treat these addictions is becoming the biggest issue because the internet is everywhere. We can help the generations by educating them of the risks involved with overuse of the internet.

4.       Do video games serve a purpose in education or are they a waste of time?

       Video games can be fun and educational. Once again teachers and parents need to teach proper use. In a classroom video games can be a great tool for stimulating lessons.

5.       Do you believe that digital tools such as google tools can save schools that are struggling?

    Google tools are useful for teachers who trying to bring technology into the classroom but also are helpful in bringing the classroom to the students. Classrooms can have a discussion forum which helps students communicate and share ideas even when they are not in the classroom. Teachers can also provide helpful tools for children which they can review in their own time. Google tools help engage teachers and students. This is needed in today’s educational system.

6.       Do parents of today have any idea what their kids are doing online?  Whose job is it to teach them the safety and digital responsibility?  Parents/Teachers/Community/Government??

Parents are more aware today with what their children are doing online because parents are doing it too. Parents, teachers, the community and the government all need to take part in educating children on safety and digital responsibility.

7.       Are kids and adults today ruining their digital footprints by sharing too much information online without realizing that it may be detrimental to their future? Should they care?

Children are becoming more creative with their digital footprints and are slowly learning of what is acceptable to share. Children are learning and should care of what they share because in the cyber world things can’t be taken back and everyone can see what type of person you are.

8.       “Stranger Danger” and predator fears are often overblown by the media on shows such as Datelines “To Catch a Predator”.  What are the real dangers of technology in this day and age?

The real danger of technology today is misuse. People not being good digital citizens is one problem and people becoming addicted to the technological tools such as the internet.

9.       Share your overall reactions and thoughts about each documentary here.  Please relate it to your views as a teacher/parent/coach/etc... What did you learn, find interesting, find disturbing, relate to, did not relate to, etc...from watching either documentary that you would like to share with others?

The documentaries were both good and kept my focus. The thing I found most disturbing is the Army using gamestations to solicit future recruits. Children attending these stations thought it was fun and then joined the Army but what they don’t realize is war is not fun and it is not a game.