Instead of answering the question regarding the role of culture in educational technology, I find myself reflecting on how the two are connected.   I see both culture and educational technology influencing each other and dependent upon one and other.    Culture (or people) has created educational technology.   We have innovated and shaped technology to meet the needs, wants, and aspirations of our people… our cultures.   Yet in doing so, educational technology has created ripples, that sometimes amass to waves changing the currents and tides of our way of life… our culture.  Many of these changes could not and can not be predicted.   As such educational technology has influenced and shaped culture.  I liked the chicken and egg analogy someone made earlier.   It aptly suits this discussion.

Tonight I followed the direction of DLG5 and watched Wesch’s talk on the Anthropology of YouTube.   It was very interesting and enlightening.

Some of the terms that resonated for me were:

• Networked Individualism – Such truth!   I would argue that with all of the cell phone usage we are the most highly connected humans that have ever lived.   I heard a quote last week that said something like 85% of all humans over a certain age have a cell phone, and that some who have a cell phone do not have enough food to eat daily.   Yet, I question what we have lost to the network with what we have gained in being connected?   Clearly our culture has changed as many of use see our cell phone as a prosthesis of our body and what does this mean for our culture… I’m not sure.
• Remixed Culture – People taking aspects of culture, approving them or disapproving them, modifying, changing, and personalizing them, and through this remixing, they demonstrate their cultural values. I appreciated the connection made to Lessig who argues the ludicrousness of criminalizing these actions.

Seeing YouTube through a different lens – As someone who tends to use YouTube to learn how to do various things, I didn’t realize that there is a YouTube culture.   The last fellow that spoke on the video expressed that making videos for him, helped him to survive and live in the world.  YouTube as a platform offers the ability for cultures to unite and support one and other.   So to all the nay-sayers of YouTube I am going to suggest a view of this video.   It opened my eyes to the multi-dimensions of YouTube.

In response to another who was discussing cyber bullying I wrote: I think part of the problem is that educational contexts are somewhat playing catch up.   It has only been in the past two years that my school culture has begun discussing the term “digital citizen” and what that entails.   We are now using programs such as Passport to Internet to educate our children about their potential actions online.   I think what we are witnessing with our youth is a direct consequence of a lack of education in this area.   That said, there will be always be bullies both on the school yard and online but I think we would have less naive students posting inappropriate photos of themselves, with more educating regarding some of the potential dangers of social media.

In response to Focus Question #3:

I am also nervous as I see a ‘Digital Divide’ that exists within my own school.   Some of our teachers do a lot with technology, while other’s don’t even take their classes to the computer lab.   My principal is trying to rectify this, but it is difficult due to teacher autonomy.   I see public education’s role as conquering the divide by evening the playing field.   School can work to ensure equal access to technology by making sure that all schools have, use and teach technology.   This would at minimum assist students who may not have the financial means at home to purchase technology, to at the very least be able to learn and engage with technology while at school.    Unfortunately, the massive underfunding of schools is only widening the digital divide.   Schools with well off families tend to bring in more money through their Parent Associations and are able to make many technology purchases.   Whereas schools in impoverished areas, rely on the government to purchase their technology.