Human vs Machine | W12 Discussion Synthesis - Instructor | Forum

In considering media in society — in this case, social media — the first question asked where we should focus our efforts on the education and technology policy front. Each of you took a slightly different path. Selin emphasized weighing the pros/cons of the technology and the importance of bringing various stakeholders into the policy discussion, especially parents and students. She made the point that “student responsibilities” in using new media ought to be considered; the education of students to be critical users may in turn, lead them to become “literate, considerate and powerful contributors to a technological society.” Focusing our efforts on educating critical users seems to me to contrast with the legal approach that Madison mentions in referring to the Child Protection Act and Edutopia guidelines; that is, that people can inadvertently be subjected to harm as media users which we have to protect them from/legislate against. To do this we can put online monitoring and surveillance systems in place, blocking stakeholders (students, teachers, others) from harmful or inappropriate content. On the other hand, Brittney brought up issues of power and the larger, structural forces at work in manipulating society: “the neoliberal agenda of privatization, technological innovation, and creating a competitive capitalistic global market” that sees students as “dollar signs, profit potential, and tax breaks.”

Questions
1) To what degree can we as educational professionals respond to these dilemmas? To what degree is human subject to machine?

2) What beliefs related to the course were reinforced or challenged this semester – care to share?

3) What about the publishing process was reinforced or challenged – care to share?