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?

Journalists Need Digital Literacy Skills too!

According to this story on Slashdot, an undergraduate student duped journalists by continually adding a fake quote to the wikipedia article on French composer Maurice Jarre after his death. The end result was the seeding of misinformation throughout new and old media.

Now what can we all learn from this? I think that perhaps journalists could learn a few digital literacy skills...let's start with fact-checking.

Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers - Revisited

A few weeks ago I posted on the Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers program and I was convinced it was a joke, but apparently someone has taken it seriously because I got an email this week promoting the "MAR Americas" program by using TCO analyses of Used vs. New Computers.

Here's a tidbit:

Total Cost of Ownership Cost Analysis:
Used vs. New Computers for Schools
 
Have you ever been asked to justify your assertion that purchasing a refurbished computer is less expensive than purchasing a "New" pc?  It seems the issue of warranty, repair and energy consumption is almost always used as a reason to avoid the decision to purchase these machines.
 
Recently, a school district in the Midwest attacked the issue by laying out this basic formula to analyze the total cost of ownership for the computers they put into their schools.
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) = (Unit Cost/Machine Life) + Estimated Yearly Repair Costs + Estimated Yearly Energy Costs
• Used PC Machine Life = 3 years - 6 years
• New PC Machine Life = 6 years
• Estimated Yearly Repair Costs = (Estimated Yearly Failure Rate * Average Failure Cost)
• Estimated Yearly Failure Rate = 5%
• Average Failure Cost for a PC: with No Warranty = $100; with Onsite Warranty = $10; with Parts Warranty = $30
• Energy Costs = (Active Hours Per Year * Active Watts Used) + (Standby Hours Per Year * Watts Used) * Energy Rate Kwh / 1000 w/kw)
• Active Hours Per Year = 6 * 175 School Days = 1050 hours
• Standby Hours Per Day = 4 * 175 School Days = 700 hours
• Energy Rate kwh = $0.0820/kwh

Now in my experience, even with new equipment it is very easy to exceed a 5% failure rate per year - sad, but its true. Even a refurbished computer that is 3 years old is going to have a higher failure rate than a new computer, simply because there is more wear-and-tear on the parts - particularly the hard drive. Anyhow, you can check out their analysis here.

It's Official! I'm a Doctor

dissertationdefense
Originally uploaded by edtecher

Yes folks, after 3 years of coursework and a year on my dissertation, I have completed a PhD in Education from the University of Oklahoma.

Here is a picture of the event as my committee was congratulating me!

I also got these emails from the University:

5/4/2009

Thank you. Your submission, "An Examination of the Relationship Between Digital Literacy and Student Achievement in Texas Elementary Schools (10110), has been submitted to University of Oklahoma.

5/6/2009

Congratulations. Your submission, 10110 has cleared all of the necessary checks and will soon be delivered to ProQuest/UMI for publishing.

Regards,

University of Oklahoma, Graduate College Administrator