If all the questions of access to and availability of technology were address, what would you be doing with it?
There are concerns, some genuine, some out of proportion on the use of communication media like the blog. For example, some politician in South Africa feel that the government should lay down policies to regulate blogs and their content because they have been used to malign and mudsling politicians. A columnist is up in arms for what he calls "air guitars of journalism".
There are also concerns on the use of mxit a popular mobile chat service. School going children are addicted to it and on top of having poor concentration in classes, there are reports that some have fallen into the traps of sex predators.
These two examples show cases of technologies that are available and accessible to a good number of people that are subject to abuse. How to use them for the benefits of both the users and the wider community has been put into question. I therefore think the question on what to do with a technology that is available and accessible to a people, especially for educational purposes is in order now. For now, do we wish away the dangers of the use of this technology, and assume that with time good will prevail over the evil.
2 comments:
Vipi..the David Bullard rant was a hoax.Apparently he just wanted to create a fuss before launching his own blog. The last i checked, he was No.10 on amatomu.He also knows the power of blogs!
An interesting point of view.
Abuse is a phenomenon that we face with almost any resource - not only technology.
The ethical use of technology becomes critical.
Educating our children on the pitfalls of improper use of technology must be an important
part of introducing these technologies.
This touches on our parenting abilities. I am not saying the young people must be monitored but
brought up in a way that they will become responsible citizens.
It is also important for the parents to know enough about these technologies so that they provide the necessary guidance - in most cases our children are more technology-savvy than us!!
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