I had an interesting conversation last night with one of my students at Fullerton College. In assigning my essay on technology/new media, it pushed her to think about my experience with technology growing up. She came up to me after class, and this was the conversation that ensued:
V: "I think I have an idea for my paper, but I need to ask you an important question."
Me: "Okay…"
V: "When you were in high school, and you needed to communicate with your teachers, how did you do that?"
Me: "Well…we visited their room before or after school, or we left them a note in their box in the office."
V stood there for several minutes trying to digest what I had just said. There was a look of complete shock on her face. "Realllllllyyyyy?"
Me: "Yes, really."
V: "So you had to go and see them?"
Me: "Yes. Remember, there was no internet or email. It didn't exist yet."
V: "Wow! I can't even believe that."
This little conversation got me thinking about the things we take for granted. Technology has made our lives easier, as evidenced by this conversation. For her generation, she can send an email easily to her teacher, if she has any questions. In my generation, you had to gain a lot of confidence (actually, that was my issue as I was fairly shy and HATED bothering my teachers), and go and talk with your teacher face-to-face if you were having problems. I think this might be an important step that students are missing out on. Having to learn to talk with a teacher, who is in a position of authority forces students to learn how to be respectful and thoughtful of their actions. I wonder if having the ability to email or text a teacher lowers that standard because students don't have to look a teacher in the eye and be reminded of their position in the classroom. Not that I am a super formal-kind of teacher, BUT I wonder if the one of the problems we see in classrooms with respect and entitlement comes from the anonymity and ease technology provides. It's not the ONLY thing to add to this, but I wonder if it is a contributor….What do you think?
I definitely think it degrades the sense of authority a teacher has in a classroom. I mean, it's helped as well when it comes to getting help at a convenient time, but it definitely hinders our ability (as a student) to speak to people of authority because we never needed to learn such a tool growing up. Even now I despise talking to teachers and professors who I don't connect with or who appear to be "stand-off(isn)" simply because I don't view most of my questions as important or I end up playing a mind game with myself on how my question is stupid and how they will think it's stupid.
ReplyDeleteFor example, my Philosophy professor from last semester did not like me and also was "stand-off(isn)" to all of us students so I never uttered a word in that class unless I was 100% sure that what I was saying she would approve of. I saw my grade suffer because I didn't have clarity in the class, but I did not have to deal with the stress and emotions that come with implied statements of how I was being stupid and not listening...however if I ever learned growing up and in high school about how to approach my teachers, regardless of their personality about things I like to think I wouldn't have this problem.
There are only about 10 teachers/professors so far that I know that I never have a problem with talking to in person or emailing them about things pertaining to their particular subject field out of the...50(isn) ones I've had. I don't expect that number to increase by much as I finish college either. The few times I have spoken to teachers in person have destroyed my ability to do so consistently because of how they spoke to me. At least with email if it's a stupid question they can ignore it or chill out before they respond.
Social standards decline as technology advances. Just look around, they're still getting lower.
Hello! It's V :) thank you so much for letting me know about your blog! It is very well written and you have awesome point of views! You are right, some of us do take things for granted. I think a teacher and student bond is VERY important in a school classroom. Luckily for me, you are a fantastic teacher and helped me A LOT through out my whole college experience. You are definitely one to remember when I move forward into my college experience. You rock Amy! :)
ReplyDeleteMelody, I had the same problem when I started college, and I still do, to a certain extent. It's really difficult to feel that what you're saying is valuable enough to go bother a teacher (and that's assuming you can find time to make it to office hours!). It seems like the thing to do, though, is just keep trying it; I have had a few office hour experiences that make me want to push through and try harder, and I am actually friends with a few professors (it only took me 8 years of higher education, but hey, maybe I'm just not a fast learner haha).
ReplyDeleteAmy, it's so weird to think about how much things have changed! My youngest brother still doesn't believe me when I tell him nobody at my elementary school had a cell phone.
I think technology has lowered our social standards. It is much easier to talk to a professor by email. Like you said, you had to have a lot of confidence to talk to your professors back in your college days. I believe I have no confidence at all and therefore rely on email when I need to ask a professor a question. I am also so, very, extremely shy and awkward, so technology makes it MUCH easier for me to communicate with others. Technology has definitely made social standards go down.
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