Thinking about blogs and wikis (part 1)

As I think about the effects of blogs and wikis in the classroom and on k-12 education, I think back to its purposes. Blogs are about me and my ideas. Wikis are about us and our ideas. Each of these two electronic writing tools has its original purposes deeply grounded in traditional communication mediums - diaries and newspapers.

Traditionally and in a short summary, writers would write and immortalize their thoughts into words on paper. The papers could get lost, or become published. If it get published, there will be feedback such as discussions, revisions, etc which translates into more writings. This is my understanding of the traditional communication cycle with writing. However as everybody is beginning to find out, the concepts of blogs and wikis has changed the 'feedback' part of the cycle especially the speed.

Communication has always been about sharing information. However sharing takes a lot of time if we used non-electronic mediums to transfer information. Using electronics, people can now share information almost instantly! But what does this newfound speed mean?

How do people place value on information when information is non-stop? Is there a standard value system for information?

John Naisbitt says that we are "drowning in information and starving for knowledge". He is correct! Most people have no clue what to do with all the information they see.

Blogs allow us to create electronic talking spaces. Wikis bring people together to negotiate on an idea. Assuming everybody in the whole world responds to a posting or contributes to a wiki. How all their responses help move that person towards their goals? Ah yes, personal goals!!!...

Technology-literacy-innovation cycle

An issue that is constantly on my mind is how the idea of technology has somehow become synonymous with computers. People equate putting in hours on sitting in front of TVs, typing on computers, playing with electronic devices as becoming technology literate. At some point in recent history, there was a paradigm shift in which people believe technology is a product of computers.

A part of me understands that this phenomenon likens to the early fire-tamers. Some curious caveman figured out he could harness wild fire and carry it around on a stick! Through that magical fire branch, he would have advantages over nature. There would be night lighting, animal-warding, cooking, heating, and other fire related technology gradually available.

So what happened to the cavemen after the discovery and mastery of fire? Well, we can read the history books about that time line.

But what about the current technology literate generation? What will this group of folks do with their time in front of TVs, on computers, using with electronic devices?

In the beginning...

There was no technology. At some point, humans started to get "ah-ha" moments. Rocks become flints, building materials, and arrow heads. Wood became spears, clubs, fire wood. Slowly but surely, more and more tools and technologies came into existence.

Somewhere on that time line, I came into existence. People know me as Chu. It means bamboo in Chinese, kiss in Japanese and, my whole first name means resume (CV) in Korean. That's enough about me for now. I'll put everything else in About Me.

In my short lifetime, I've been playing with electronics and circuitry. My current interest is in information technology, simulations, and robotics.