Technology in Education Sherry Turkels Ted talk.

Is technology getting out of control?  How much do we want to integrate technology in to the classroom before it is to much.  Are people connected and more alone than ever?  This video says a lot about how messed up we are with technology!  Check out Sherry Turkels Ted talk.

I was shocked in the beginning when Sherry said that a text from her daughter was like getting a hug from her and that she sleeps with her cell phone.   I begin to think are you kidding me, but then realized that she was getting started down a road of how screwed up people are today because of technology?  

I agree there are teachers at work that would rather send an email than have a face to face conversation and many are texting or emailing during staff meetings.  My assistant principal recently stated that she has no problem if teachers are writing emails or texting during a staff meeting even encouraging it by saying “everyone is busy.”  I was shocked but many people now see this as acceptable.

One of the most shocking things that sherry states is that many people want a more advanced Siri to be like their best friend so that they can talk to it.  I think that there are people that really need to work on their relationships if they are at that point, but I agree with Sherry that sometimes you need to stop and just listen to people.  It’s kind of scary to think people see their phone as their best friend, but there are many that cannot live these days without their phone and Wi-Fi.    

I also liked the phrase that Sherry used called “pretend empathy.”  Many people are seeking empathy through technology, but as she stated it’s not the real thing.  Technology does not understand humans, their life or their feelings.  There are many people in search of something that they will never get through technology yet they continue to be sucked into the digital world. 

There is a balance that needs to be had between technology and real human interactions.  Some people are so sucked into the digital world that it’s becoming an ever growing problem.  Just look at all the accidents now while driving and walking because people cannot get away from their phones.  Sherry is right that we should take a closer look at how technology has impacted our relationships.