We are at a truly unique point in history. That seems
ridiculous to say, as every time in history is unique. But when people look
back on this period of time, it will be seen as the dawn of the electronic era.
We are the historical transition from the pen and paper to the desktop and
mobile device. And as we trek forward into progress through actions of unknown consequence,
the issues churned up in our wake will be our signals of warning to the future.
The Paul Barnwella article touches on one such issue.
The reason I talk about this particular technological
advancement (The use of mobile devices, particularly in classrooms) in such a
hyperbolic light is because we are just starting to see the impact it is
having.
This is the nature of all development, really: Fast food was
an effective way of mass distribution, quick service, and low cost; fossil
fuels were readily available, a lucrative business, and made energy readily
available; the mass production of entire cities in China was an effective means
of dealing with a huge population influx; etc. Looking back these examples, we
see how the initial response to each situation respectively made sense. We also
see now that these seemingly harmless responses were anything but.
The same is starting to be seen in the use of mobile devices. According to Barnwella:
“I came to realize that conversational competence might be
the single-most overlooked skill we fail to teach students.”
It is true. In our quest to reject the antiquated for the
up-and-coming, we have sort of lost sight in the value of foundational skills,
like the conversation. I think this is the point being made in “Saber-Tooth
Curriculum.” It begs the question: do the benefits of mobile devices outweigh
the obstacles they present?
