Katie proposed the topic Digital Divide In Low Income Schools in which she talked about bridging the digital divide in two phases. Phase I: Bridging the Knowledge Divide, by educating teachers on the importance of closing the digital gap and how to get online help for their students. Katie suggests that teachers create a technology club for the students and use technical knowledge in everything that they teach. Phase II: Bridging the Access Divide is about technology programs for low-income families (providing computers and printers), and making the most of the underutilized library system. Katie also suggested creating an open lab night at libraries and teachers helping parents to learn new technologies in order to help their children. As someone who’s chosen topic is digital communication and the perpetuation of hate and violence, I think that the more we can get students involved in their local libraries the better, and using computers sounds like a great way to achieve that and to get the parents involved. It sounds like a win, win situation.
Beau’s proposal is about Gaming: the Final Destination. Beau sections his argument into different sub-topics. The first section includes aspects of gaming that your mother knows such as: it causes brain damage; it’s a waste of time; it causes depression; and gaming is too violent and disturbing. The second section mentions things you mother doesn’t know about gaming such as: technology feeds off gaming; gamers can earn a lot of money; and gaming technologies can save lives. In Beau’s third section: so what, he mentions that digital technology has permanently changed culture and talks about the Davinci robot and remote surgery. Julie suggested that Beau focus his argument on the fact that technology feeds off of gaming. From the perspective of digital communication and discrimination, hopefully new advancements in gaming technologies can bring gamers from different parts of the world and different cultures together. Perhaps combining digital gaming and skype could help us all get to know each other in ways never before possible.
James’ proposal is about College Grads and Gaming, where he mentions how humans learn, why we learn and how to learn better. In his argument James says that gaming gets a bad rap and that it has many virtues. Gaming helps us perform multi-visual tasks, helps us retain knowledge and 3dimmensional image recognition. Video games can be used in politics to raise funds and helps bring knowledge and access to all ages, which is a good thing since most college grads like playing video games. Video game technologies integrated with important and relevant topics on college campus’ could be a powerful tool.
Hans’ proposed essay is about Social Networks Bridging the Digital Chasm in which the digital gap is being closed by social interactions involving technologies. Access to tech one in the same and technology is leveling the playing field between the classes in the process: social connections are provided through networking; the value of the Internet is the content of social networking; and the creation and preservation of public spaces on line. I personally appreciated his statement that the poor are becoming digitally literate. Literacy as we all know is a key element in combating hatred, violence, and discrimination.
Spencer spoke about how Gaming Generates Better Soldiers, in which he mentions the correlations or effects of video games and how they entice people to sign-up. In his argument Spencer talks about the false impressions before soldiers join up and the realities such as the development of bad habits during boot camp. The pros and cons of training simulators are discussed such as: simulations are cheaper and are an introduction to real life; simulators can desensitize soldiers and cause internal and external stress. I don’t know that training simulators are gradually replacing real life war game. My son participates in playing war with real bullets and real guns (once a month) as a marine lance corporal at Camp Pendleton near San Diego. Next month he will spend 3 weeks of marksmanship training in Idaho. I know first hand that the training he is receiving (gaming and real life) is in no way doing anything to end the perpetuation of online hatred, violence, or discrimination. His mother and I are continually reminding him that some of the actions of the other soldiers and his superiors are not ethical, moral, or legal even for the U.S. Military.
