Statement:
Does the internet really
bring us together ... or does it isolate us from each other?
Response:
With technology getting to
the point where people don’t ever have to leave their houses to do anything, it
can easily be argued that the internet is isolating us from each other, but I
disagree with those who would argue that.
I think in many instances the internet is actually allowing people to
stay closer and remain in touch. I
personally am close with people that I would have lost touch with if it weren’t
for the internet. With the incredibly
fast-paced world that we live in, it provides an easy way to stay in touch.
Statement:
Information available over
the Internet is often stale, incomplete, misleading, unreviewed,
or simply wrong.
Response:
It is true that because of
how the internet is setup anyone can put anything they want on the internet and
a lot of these instances involve unsubstantiated information. It is very important for us as teachers to
educate our students on how to sift through the garbage to find real legitimate
information. It really isn’t as
difficult as it sounds because a lot of reputable organizations have done the
hard work for us. They have gone through
and pulled out the sites that are good and then provide links to those
sites. In the end, it’s just a matter of
being careful of what information you take off the internet.
Statement:
Suppose the network
replaces newspapers, books, libraries, and teachers. Is that a good thing?
Response:
Libraries and teachers are
definitely not being replaced by the network, but the network is providing them
with a way to do their jobs better. When
it is used properly, the internet has been shown to cause vast improvement in
many of our schools and libraries. As
for newspapers, books, magazines, and journals, more people are accessing
information from these today because of how easy it is to access the
information. The internet didn’t replace
the material. It just made it easier to
get.
Statement:
Face to face meetings are
far more meaningful -- and valuable -- than disembodied network interactions.
Response:
This is most definitely a
true statement. Face to face meetings
are the best and most meaningful way to communicate with another person, but
one has to also look at it from another standpoint. The technology we have now allows someone
here in Maryland to meet with a person in Tokyo in the morning, London right
after lunch, and New York before the day is out and with technology as advanced
as it is, it’s almost like you are face to face.
Statement:
E-mail is clumsy,
inefficient, and impersonal. It appears to be free, yet is actually quite
expensive, and can be much slower than ordinary postal mail.
Response:
I’d have to disagree with
this statement because I think email has become a very effective tool in
keeping people in contact with others.
With a brother who lives in