I just viewed the video "Mr. Winkle Wakes" by Mathew Needleman on YouTube.
http://youtu.be/lm1sCsl2MQY
This video made me laugh at first just because the little cartoon man is so old looking. After I mulled over it for a little bit I realized that while the video is a bit humorous the first time through, the video holds so much truth! After waking up from being asleep for 100 years, Mr. Winkle discovers that there is technology EVERYWHERE (hospitals, work rooms, etc) except for when he goes to the school. He is very stressed out everywhere he goes because of all of the technology, but when he goes to school and realizes there's not any there he feels calm. (I just imagine what it would be like to teach my grandparents to use a computer and how stressed out and frazzled they would have been- just like Mr. Winkle)
In a way this video is sad and true because technology has made it's huge impact in the world in all places except for schools. Some schools do have more technology than others, but there are those schools that are still way behind. Also, after reading Chapters 3 & 4 in our book "Understanding the Digital Generation," Mr. Winkle represents us and everyone before us who isn't part of the digital generation. If I didn't feel old before this video, I definitely do now!
I absolutely agree with this post! It is sad that our schools aren't embracing technology and the new way of learning. Our society is at a point where most of us have more access to technology at home then we do in our schools. This is not ok! We use our technology to play but also to learn and schools need to be an environment that promotes this learning.
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