Social issues in interactive multimedia
In this ever-evolving world of multimedia and the Internet many social issues are coming to the forefront. As discussed in previous posts there is a digital divide and it is widening. The “have nots” and the “haves” are going to become a caste system of success and failure. School children who have quick access to the Internet will be more likely to do extra or deeper research than those that sit and wait for pages to load. They will be more likely to research deeper and to research rich media content than those that are still using even DSL lines for access.
Imagine a chemistry example displayed virtually with the reaction of the molecules being shown in real time or simply looking at a diagram. If students are able to add or change the variables in the equation and watch the reaction in real time how much more engaged would they be in learning. If you could see the answer before you finished the question you might understand that you are going down the wrong path in logic and reason. This would help direct the learning scenario to one that is productive and not frustrating.
We are living with a generation of gamers and we must work with that construct if we are to teach that generation. We must make learning a game. Einstein is rumored to have failed Algebra until an uncle made it a game called “find the X”. Once it became a game for young Albert he was able to conquer Algebra and moved on towards more difficult mathematics. Obviously that changed the world. For good or bad is yet to be determined by our use of his knowledge. However, the dissemination of that knowledge must be available for all, in this ever “flattening world” of ours.
Please read Freidman everyday. Read or listen or watch Joseph Campbell, read Tufte do all of these things to advance your thought mechanisms. A student recently called me “our David Poque” a tremendous compliment to say the least. However my real goal for every student, is to be their own David Poque. Things are changing and we need to be part of the change.