jamiekvaldes-blog

[jamiekvaldes-blog]

How Changes In Technology Impact On The Way Humans Communicate, And The Ethical Issues Surrounding These Changes (Rewrite)

There is no doubt that advances in technology have made a significant impact in altering our lives. Possibly many of us have come to find ourselves feeling like we cannot exist without technology. I do not totally condemn the effect of technology it has had on the world because technology has allowed us to do wonderful things we possibly didn’t think we could do years before.

The quality of face-to-face communication is suffering because of these gadgets that intercede our lives every day. Keller (2013) writes that according to Paul Booth, an assistant professor of media and cinema studies, social media has caused a “shift in the way we communicate; rather than face-to-face interaction, we’re tending to prefer mediated communication.” You will see that our children and youth of today, are embedded into their gadgets. Dr. Brent Conrad, a clinical Psychologist for TechAddiction, states that “72% of children have access to a computer at home” (2017). Their lives revolve and rely so highly on technology. The creation and effect of social media has opened a door for hackers, cyberbullying, mental and psychological issues, lack of privacy and other negative effects that are concerning and detrimental. Campbell (2017) states that research by two health organisations shows that, “poll of 14 to 24 year olds shows Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter increased feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.” The youths health and well being is badly affected and is a problem that everyone needs to identify in order to help each other.

So let’s turn the leaf and recognise the beauty of the advanced technologies. Without technology, we would have no access to transportation, telephones, water and electricity that ultimately play a massive role in our lives. It’s improved on our education system where it has been embedded to improve student’s learning process and more visually fun. Technology has allowed amazing improvements in health care, as health care professionals are able to perform things that would have never been possible to do before. It keeps us and the world around us so involved and in touch, we even manage to see our family and friends who are half way across the world virtually through a screen. It allows us express ourselves in ways we probably never would have imagined. 

Although there are negative impacts that technology has made, we cannot forget the better part in which the advances of technology has impacted our lives greatly better. It has allowed for different modes of communication and has opened the world of social media where we gain the freedom to express ourselves and brings unity to the world. It has made an amazing influential on our upbringing; we cannot deny the beautiful changes it has made on the human beings of today.

References

Campbell, Dennis. (2017). Facebook and Twitter Harm Young People’s Mental Health. Retrieved from

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/19/popular-social-media-sites-harm-young-peoples-mental-health

Conrad, Dr. Brent. (2017). Children and Technology – Stats for Technology in the Home. Retrieved from

http://techaddiction.ca/children-and-technology.html

Kelly, Maura. (2013). Social Media and Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from

http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/051313p10.shtml

Screenshot of the feedback from Wendy Luu 

Copy of original critical reflection 

There is no doubt that advances in technology have made a significant impact on the way we, as a society, communicate with each other and has altered all of our lives. Possibly many of us have come to find ourselves feeling like we cannot exist without technology. I do not totally condemn the effect of technology it has had on the world because throughout all these years, technology has allowed us humans to do wonderful things we possibly didn’t think we could do years before.

Technology and the digital world have never been more influential towards our lives. The advances of technology have allowed communicating much easier than it was before. Say goodbye to sendings letters, writing with a pencil or even reading the newspapers! I am sure we all have these hand sized screens in our pockets that can do the job! But let’s not get carried away and remember that there is also a downfall in that. Keller (2013) writes in her article that according to Paul Booth who is an assistant professor of media and cinema studies, social media has caused a “shift in the way we communicate; rather than face-to-face interaction, we’re tending to prefer mediated communication.” The quality of face-to-face communication is suffering because of these gadgets that intercede our lives every day. We have become so attached to our mobile phones, laptops or game consoles, we always feel the need to interact and accustom with them so we don’t miss a thing happening in the digital world. I cannot even begin to fathom the creation of social media and the effect it has made on human beings. It has opened a massive door for hackers, cyberbullying, mental and psychological issues, lack of privacy and other negative effects that are concerning and detrimental, especially of the youth in this day and age. Campbell (2017) states that according to research by two health organisations, “poll of 14- to 24-year-olds shows Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter increased feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.” The youths health and well being is badly affected and is a problem that everyone needs to identify in order to help and support them, as well as each other. There are implications with the development of technology and the ethical issues that arise with it, but we definitely cannot forget the beauty of technology and the wonders it has offered for us in this world.

So let’s turn the leaf and recognise the beauty of the advanced technologies. Sometimes we tend to forget that technology actually plays a big part in as simple as living. Without technology, we would have no access to transportation, telephones, water and electricity that ultimately play a massive role in our every day lives. The development of technologies has made a great influence on our cultures, and how they are so imbedded into our health care and education. It’s improved on our education system and student’s learning process where it has been embedded to improve student’s education and make learning more visually fun. Technology has allowed amazing improvements especially in the health care aspect as health care professionals are given chances to perform things that would have never been possible to do before. It keeps us and the world around us so involved and in touch, we even manage to see our family and friends who are half way across the world virtually through a screen. It allows us express ourselves in ways we probably never would have imagined. We have to thank Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype and other social media platforms for that (especially the amazing Google!)

Although there are numerous negative impacts in which technology has had on our society that we cannot ignore, we cannot forget the better part in which the advances of technology has made our lives greatly better. It has allowed for different modes of communication with each other and has opened the world of social media where we gain the freedom to express ourselves and keep in touch with each other. It brings unity to the world where we can overcome any barriers and it has made an amazing influential on our upbringing; we cannot deny the beautiful changes it has made on the human beings of today.

References

Campbell, Dennis. (2017). Facebook and Twitter Harm Young People’s Mental Health. Retrieved from

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/19/popular-social-media-sites-harm-young-peoples-mental-health

Kelly, Maura. (2013). Social Media and Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from

http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/051313p10.shtml

[jamiekvaldes-blog]

Peer Feedback

Feedback to Chiara Vicari  (https://chiara-acu.tumblr.com/post/165506290188/do-digital-natives-exist) 

Feedback to Wendy Luu  (https://wendyluul.tumblr.com/post/165079599392/driving-question-1-why-do-i-need-to-become-a) 

[jamiekvaldes-blog]

How Changes In Technology Impact On The Way Humans Communicate, And The Ethical Issues Surrounding These Changes

There is no doubt that advances in technology have made a significant impact on the way we, as a society, communicate with each other and has altered all of our lives. Possibly many of us have come to find ourselves feeling like we cannot exist without technology. I do not totally condemn the effect of technology it has had on the world because throughout all these years, technology has allowed us humans to do wonderful things we possibly didn’t think we could do years before. 

Technology and the digital world have never been more influential towards our lives. The advances of technology have allowed communicating much easier than it was before. Say goodbye to sendings letters, writing with a pencil or even reading the newspapers! I am sure we all have these hand sized screens in our pockets that can do the job! But let’s not get carried away and remember that there is also a downfall in that. Keller (2013) writes in her article that according to Paul Booth who is an assistant professor of media and cinema studies, social media has caused a “shift in the way we communicate; rather than face-to-face interaction, we’re tending to prefer mediated communication.” The quality of face-to-face communication is suffering because of these gadgets that intercede our lives every day. We have become so attached to our mobile phones, laptops or game consoles, we always feel the need to interact and accustom with them so we don’t miss a thing happening in the digital world. I cannot even begin to fathom the creation of social media and the effect it has made on human beings. It has opened a massive door for hackers, cyberbullying, mental and psychological issues, lack of privacy and other negative effects that are concerning and detrimental, especially of the youth in this day and age. Campbell (2017) states that according to research by two health organisations, “poll of 14- to 24-year-olds shows Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter increased feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.” The youths health and well being is badly affected and is a problem that everyone needs to identify in order to help and support them, as well as each other. There are implications with the development of technology and the ethical issues that arise with it, but we definitely cannot forget the beauty of technology and the wonders it has offered for us in this world. 

So let’s turn the leaf and recognise the beauty of the advanced technologies. Sometimes we tend to forget that technology actually plays a big part in as simple as living. Without technology, we would have no access to transportation, telephones, water and electricity that ultimately play a massive role in our every day lives. The development of technologies has made a great influence on our cultures, and how they are so imbedded into our health care and education. It’s improved on our education system and student’s learning process where it has been embedded to improve student’s education and make learning more visually fun. Technology has allowed amazing improvements especially in the health care aspect as health care professionals are given chances to perform things that would have never been possible to do before. It keeps us and the world around us so involved and in touch, we even manage to see our family and friends who are half way across the world virtually through a screen. It allows us express ourselves in ways we probably never would have imagined. We have to thank Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype and other social media platforms for that (especially the amazing Google!) 

Although there are numerous negative impacts in which technology has had on our society that we cannot ignore, we cannot forget the better part in which the advances of technology has made our lives greatly better. It has allowed for different modes of communication with each other and has opened the world of social media where we gain the freedom to express ourselves and keep in touch with each other. It brings unity to the world where we can overcome any barriers and it has made an amazing influential on our upbringing; we cannot deny the beautiful changes it has made on the human beings of today. 

References 

Campbell, Dennis. (2017). Facebook and Twitter Harm Young People's Mental Health. Retrieved from

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/19/popular-social-media-sites-harm-young-peoples-mental-health

Kelly, Maura. (2013). Social Media and Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from

http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/051313p10.shtml

[jamiekvaldes-blog]

Why Do I Need To Become A Reflective Practitioner?

Whilst reading this question over and over again, a manifold of thoughts suddenly overcame me because it never came to my attention the importance of being a “reflective practitioner”...until now. There are an abundant of thoughts, feelings and ideas that spring up when we think of “reflective practitioner”. It sounds so much like an occupation, but there is so much more to it than meets the eye. We don’t realise how important of an aspect it is in our lives and I hope that after you read this, you learn to open your heart and mind to it. 

Sometimes we subconsciously become these “reflective practitioners” without even knowing. It may sometimes be a great value in our lives, or it may even take a toll on our outlook in life - both positively and negatively. But before I go on and spring my thoughts on this question, let’s see what defines a “reflective practitioner”. 

According to Epstein, Siegel & Silberman (2008), a reflective practitioner or person will “attend moment to moment to his or her own actions, and to his or her own physical and mental processes during everyday tasks with clarity and insight.” Being a reflective practitioner involves having an open and undivided heart and mind towards situations happening personally or externally, and examining your conscious whilst having the will to improve and grow from your actions for the future. 

Being a reflective practitioner means different things to so many people. In my case, I honestly believe one of the few reasons why I, including yourself, should become a reflective practitioner and practice reflecting upon yourself every day, is to look at the importance of self-growth. It allows you to look at yourself and see the changes you can make in order to better yourself and allow yourself to grow as the person you need to be. As a soon-to-be teacher, this can be such a humbling and motivating experience to not only be aware and better myself each day, but for the all the students that I teach. It is a beautiful mindset to even wake up and be able to walk into a classroom almost every day to know that you are a better person and a better teacher than you were yesterday, because you learnt how to self-reflect to improve and grow. Dewey (1933) states that reflection needs to be guided “by openness, wholeheartedness, directness and responsibility, in order to broaden one’s field of knowledge and awareness.” To even be able to self-reflect on yourself towards any other aspect of your life is truly a humbling one and I encourage you reading this, to recognise and reflect on yourself so that you are aware of the changes you can make to grow and make beautiful changes to better yourselves. So don’t run from it, embrace it.

References 

Epstein, R., Siegel, D., & Silberman, J. (2008). Self-monitoring in clinical practice: A challenge for medical educators. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 28, 5. 

Tanti, MHM. (2015). Applying Slow to ICT-rich education: A vision for the ‘long now’. University of Sydney, Australia. (pg 138 - 149). Retrieved from 

https://leo.acu.edu.au/pluginfile.php/2367090/mod_book/chapter/110575/Reflection.pdf

[jamiekvaldes-blog]

DO DIGITAL NATIVES EXIST?

Firstly, what is a ‘digital native’ you may ask? Prensky (2001) defines digital natives as “‘native speakers’ of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.” 

Often digital natives have a strong connotation to the generations society like to call,‘Gen Z’ and the ‘Millenials’. Although we, as a society, cannot assume that everyone born in either of these generations are a digital native or ‘tech savvy’. We have to keep in mind those who do not have accessibility to the latest technology. This brings me back to the point that everyone and anyone, no matter what generation you were born into, how old you are or if you have access to any technology, anyone is capable of being a digital native. Not all children who born in this generation or the next are digital natives by default. The deciding factor is how regularly they interact with technology at a certain age. 

Times are changing, especially in the modern age world of technology. There will always be a new phone coming out, a new gadget released or a latest app, where we will all have to learn and conform to it at one point. Prensky (2001) has created a term for this called “digital immigrants” and they are “those who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or some aspects of the new technology.” We are going to be “digital immigrants” at some point of our lives because of how quickly technology is evolving, as well as become “digital natives” who are yet to learn and be instinctually capable of the digital world. The digital world and technology has grown to become such a enormous aspect in our lives. We have become so connected with each other and the world through these wired gadgets for so many years. So, this brings us back to the question of ‘do digital natives exist’? They most definitely do. Although, let us not just limit ourselves to one specific term but rather believe that anyone can become a digital native, whether or not they were born in the digital world. 

References: 

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. Retrieved from 

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/docview/214629645?accountid=8194