Shift Happens...

Convergence.

Karl Fisch and Scott MeLeod have put together this amazing video in which the viewer is shown the shift that is occurring in our world today and how it affects the people. The shift they are focusing on is due to the technological advances of the 21^st century. Have you ever actually sat down and thought about how much technology has advanced in just the past 10 years? I didn’t, until I watched this video. About 10 years ago I received my first sell phone, and oh boy was I excited!

(<- This was my first phone!)

But if I were to be given this same phone today I would definitely be disappointed. These days it’s all about having “smart phones” which are actually mini computers that make phone calls. Most people either want to be on the android network or want to an iPhone. I prefer android. =)

Technology is growing and from the looks of this video, it is not going to stop growing any time soon. In fact, it is going to be growing faster and will be more capable than the human mind sooner than I would have ever thought. It is even expanding into the younger youth, children in elementary school have cell phones nowadays.

 Sometimes people from the older generations do not understand why the younger folks are caught up in all of this techy garb and think that no good comes of it, but most don’t know how to use laptops, computers, the internet, nor do they want to learn it. There is so much good that can come out of the change that is taking place with technology. More and more people are being connected to each other every day, through sites such as: myspace, facebook, twitter, and dating sites.

As long as technology is used for good reasons, it can be a great contribution to society. Because people are so “connected” it is much easier to reach out to a large group of people. Being able to reach so many people at one time can be a really positive aspect in the growth of technology. Technology is being used everywhere from political elections, to keeping in touch to friends, to finding love. If you can use technology for those uses then why not use it in education. Students are always connected to technology in some way and that is not going to change any time soon, so why not use it to “really connect” with students. Teachers can use technology in really positive ways with their students, if they figure out the best way to do so and how to do it. Like with my blog assignment tonight, I almost forgot about it, until I got the text from my teacher! 

                I was blown away by all the stats in the video, but they really made me think about the changes going on in the world and how we need to keep up with this change. We need to use technology in our favor and we need to find the ways to do it.