Geography and Digital Literacy

During Steve Hargadon's interview of Michael Wesch, the professor described an interesting concept: geographical social networks are being replaced by interest-based social networks. This notion presents another facet of complexity to the argument for teaching digital literacy in schools (and the subsequent creation of personal learning networks). While this idea might merely be considered a continuation of Thomas Friedman's book The World is Flat, I think it begins to develop much deeper meaning when viewed not from the technological standpoint but from the anthropological. One hundred years ago, the common teenager's social network was limited to his or her family and local community. The proliferation of the car and telephone created a means by which that network could be expanded - but mechanical limitations, time, and money meant the network was only expanded so far. However, the interconnections of computers across the globe has created the potential for interest-based social networks to be created.

We should be aware that technology, if not implemented carefully can create tremendous destruction. For instance, Neil Postman writes in his book, The End of Education, about how the tractor accelerated and amplified the dust bowl of the 1930s. Similarly, in an interview from 2007, Dr. Wesch seems to echo Postman's statements by saying "if we don’t understand our digital technology and its effects, it can actually make humans and human needs even more invisible than ever before".

Today, the common teenager's community is nearly the entire globe. A private moment can be captured on video and transmitted to the world - releasing the potential humiliation from the geographical boundaries of the past (see this YouTube Search). As technological tools become more prevalent, it becomes all that more important to learn about them so that children and teens can learn about their power - both to create and destroy.



How do we make children and teens understand that words, even if written on a web page have the power the crush an individual?