The apps that we have access to definitely make life easier for us. The one that I use the most is Waze. I am able to put in a destination and it gets me there the quickest possible way. Now, I don’t have to know my way around or how streets are connected or related, the app leads me and I just have to follow the directions. I am now, app-dependent, because I don’t know my way around and I can’t get to new places on my own. This is just one example to being app dependent. There are internal possibilities and constraints, as well. With communication being so easy and accessible, we are in touch with others about everything. Parents of tweens and older children, with cell phones, know where their kids are at all times. They are in constant communication. Although, this seems like a characteristic of being a good parent, it doesn’t give children the space to think on their own and trust their decisions. Parents are constantly giving their okay and opinions and this conditions our youth to need affirmation for everything. This was a real eye opener for me and I will definitely keep this in mind when my boys get access to their own cell phone.
As for my students, I will explain to them the difference between app-dependent and app-enabled. Teaching them how to be conscious of their attention, know how to search and sort, participate and network for their advantage, and collaborate to produce and not just consume, are some skills to increase their possiblities.
Your point about not just being a consumer is well taken. I think that if students understand how apps work, use apps to produce content and even know how to create apps, they will be app enabled. Many of the students that I encounter use apps all the time, but very few of them understand where they come from, or how they work. In some cases, the student isn’t even using the appropriate app for a given situation (affordance analysis).
ReplyDeleteI, too, am app-dependent. Waze is an everyday part of my life as well as I attempt to find the easiest route from point a to point b (got to have it in Northern VA to avoid all the traffic!)
ReplyDeleteSo, if we as adults are app-dependent, it's a given that our students are, too. You're exactly right we have to teach them how to use these apps and not let the apps rule every aspect of their life. Many apps are certainly beneficial for classroom usage, but it's up to us to show students how to effectively use those apps!
I too, am a large fan of Waze and feel that it has created a dependency. Even though I’ve never had a good sense of direction, I do remember going on road trips, trying to find my way and it not being a big deal. I thought the book made a good point about how this lack of struggle, or problem solving experience created the unrealistic expectation that one should not be lost. As my driving anxiety has increased over the years, seemingly without cause, I can’t help but wonder if the book exposed the root of my issue and I’m hoping to get through this anxiety before it becomes an issue that prevents me from doing things. It seems perhaps my anxiety is an unintended consequence of using technology, similar to the unintended consequence of being a good parent that knows where their child is creates children that don’t have the space to make their own decisions without input and reassurance from others. It seems that we don’t often know the negative consequences of simplifying our life with technology until we actually experience it. The key I think is to be aware and be willing to adjust. But I’m still not sure how to always identify the key trigger - as my driving anxiety has increased over the years I never thought that it was because of an app dependency so how can we be mindful and make adjustments when the root cause doesn’t announce itself with a neon light? This seems to underscore the need to always be a student in life and willing to learn - if I hadn’t taken this class and read this book I would not be aware of this perspective.
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