Turkle & Wesch

Turkle and Wesch both discuss the issue of media and technology and give suggestions how to rectify the issue of lost personal connections. There is no denying that people are consumed by technology; we so clearly demonstrate this by our dependence on our mobile devices.  When sitting in a room full of people it is normal to look around and see everyone looking down at their phones playing games, on social media, or even working. We even use our phone as a distraction; as Turkle states in her article, "when alone for even a few moments people fidget and look for their devices". People have even come to describe themselves as feeling “naked” without their phone on them (I myself am guilty of this). Also, many peoples means of “socializing” often rely on technology rather than face-to-face. Turkle states, “We sacrificed conversation for mere connection”. She argues that the reasons that people use technology are that we will always be heard, we can put our attention to where we want it to be, and we will never be alone.

The way in which Turkle and Wesch differ is in their approaches to resolving our social reliance on technology. Wesch wants to use technology to our advantage and Turkle seems to want to minimize the usage of technology. Turkle advises that people should start interacting with one another and make room for conversation in our daily lives. She suggests creating spaces at home that are device-free. She stresses the importance of interacting with others and not relying on technology by stating “We are together, but each of us in our own bubble, furiously connected to keyboard and tiny touch screens.”

On the other hand, Wesch discusses the struggle that students face trying to find significance in their schooling. He believes we should teach our students how to do the things that technology makes easy for us such as connecting, organizing, sharing, collecting, collaborating, and publishing. Wesch finds it critical to use technology as a tool in the classroom but to make sure that it is not just a means of learning, that there is a reason for using it.  Wesch argues that teaching can be a hindrance and that teachers should focus less on trying to convey good information and focus more on inspiring good questions. We need to create a comfortable environment in order for them to feel comfortable asking these questions. I liked his quote, “When students recognize their own importance in helping to shape the future of this global, interconnect society, the significance problem faces away.”

As educators, we are responsible for teaching our students but must follow the curriculum and guidelines the district adheres to. With the current push towards technology, it is important for us to incorporate it into our classrooms but make sure our students are not dependent on it. Technology should be seen as a tool; there is a time and place for it but should it does not to be present ALL the time.  I agreed with both authors views and I think they would both agree with each other if they were to have a conversation. Using technology in the classroom when it is appropriate can completely enhance our teaching, however, there should be times set aside for authentic conversation (no technology involved!).