Frontline Posting 2

The second portion of the Frontline video was continously intriguing. I feel the examination of technology in American education was interesting and truthful. There is no doubt that children need stimulation when learning but who is to say technology is the way to go? The video spoke about how children will need newer skills to advance that weren't around 5 years ago. When a South Bronx principal was quoted, "Technology is like oxygen," I was taken back. It is the truth to a deep extent. Yet, what happens with students and distractions or short intention spans? I beleive, more than anything, the impact of technology and the Internet on children is solely dependent upon the child and their guardians. Youths are more smarter than society beleives.

Continuing, the video dealt a lot with the online gaming industry. I honestly beleive this is what stuck out to me the most. People are living their lives through these games. One woman interviewed even quit her job because she was so addicted to an online game. People create relationships with others that they may not have in the real world. I remember seeing a MTV show True Life on this topic, where people have desolved relationships because one was too addicted to an online game. There are advantages to the virtual online world though. For instance, companies are saving money on travel or phone bills, etc. People can still work colloborately from the comfort of their own home. Also, people may be more inclined to speak their mind through the virtual world as opposed to face to face. The Second Life portion was quite crazy. There are people conducting business who have never even seen eachother. Companies can purchase land and market their product in Second Life. In certain online virtual programs people can create actual avatars of themself within 15 minutes.

The overall Frontline video was extremely interesting and educational. I learned a lot about certain topics within societal technology that I would have never understood. Technology is important to understand and utilize, it is the future. I beleive that educating children in how to use technology effeciently and smartly is important. It nay be too late for some whom are extremely addicted but for every action there is a reaction.