I am not Replaceable Yet

           Pankaj Ghemawat discusses in a seminar video that there is quite a misconception about the world no longer being flat. He admits that social media and other types of technology has increased our interactions with others around the world, but refutes the notion that our increase in technology has led to complete globalization. He states that the idea that, “ There is a no border effect,” is an overestimation, which he refers to as globalone.  I was relieved to hear a professor voice this given the depressing articles we had just read about globalization and technology taking over jobs.

Since we just read an article by Thomas L. Friedman informing us that robots are systematically taking the place of what we as humans contribute to work and society, I was feeling deflated.  So many, like Friedman, seem determined to tell us that we are going extinct in terms of our usefulness in society.  This leaves most of us feeling scared and angered, especially since we are working so hard to earn a college degree. We hear on a regular basis that we are constantly losing jobs in America either to people overseas, or to machines that can do the work of ten people and do not require any benefits.  Many, myself included, become nervous that there will not be a place for us in the workforce once we receive our diplomas, and why shouldn’t we?  We are constantly told that we are replaceable.

Ghemawat has given me hope that we are not quite as advanced as the media and general consensus would have us to believe. His statements suggesting that we need to do more fact-checking and remedy our overstatements when it comes to globalization is advice we definitely need to heed. In order for us to operate productively, we need to be accurate in our facts, rather than make general assumptions. I know that I will be sleeping a little better tonight, since I have learned that maybe a robot cannot replace me just yet.

 

 

How to Succeed

           Thomas Friedman stated in a recent lecture that the three major problems facing this country center on the budget deficit, energy, and globalization. As a student about to graduate next month, these issues will have a major impact in my search for a job. The budget deficit/crisis affects us all because it determines whether companies hire new employees, let newer employees go, and grow as small businesses or large operations. Since there is such a financial strain on the economy in general, many businesses have halted their plans to expand and are shipping their jobs overseas for larger profit margins.

           In regards to the energy problems, this has an impact on businesses that cannot afford the ever-increasing cost to fuel their companies and vehicles. Their budgets will have to make up for this in some capacity, such as putting the brakes on their hiring, or how much they can pay for those new people they do hire.

            The globalization issue is a complex monster to say the least. Friedman states that new graduates must possess, “The ability to learn and relearn,” which is a true statement. However, I do not necessarily believe that this is groundbreaking advice. The most successful people that I have known all share this same outlook when it comes to business and their personal lives. I have watched numerous people navigate in the world quite well because they have all shared the ability to adapt to their surroundings, and were adamant in being lifelong learners. This concept is not new. In order to do well in life, one must continue to learn and be prepared to work hard and adapt to the changing times.

            I know that in order to set myself apart to future employers, I must be willing to change and never become complacent with my job or my education. Education, in my opinion, goes far beyond the walls of this university. To me, someone who is educated is a person that never grows tired of learning and bettering themselves. I hope that my flame of interest in learning and growing never dims, so that I can carve-out a spot in this world built just for me.

Khan Academy: Education of the Future

I think Khan Academy is an incredible idea to help students learn. I was so impressed by the fact that their mission statement states, “A free world-class education for everyone everywhere,” because so much of the time many students are overlooked and neglected based on their socioeconomic level, or their school location. It is amazing that a man that began by helping his niece learn math through online tutorial videos, has now became the founder of a large and still growing non-profit organization that empowers students through learning.

I like that the ten-minute tutorial sessions allow the students to learn at their own pace, and that they have the lessons tailored to the unique learning style of each student.  When I was in middle and high school, I really struggled with math.  I had such a hard time with the basics of Pre-algebra in seventh grade.  Each year only compacted the problem, since I didn’t have a good foundation.  I felt light-years behind the other students that were barreling ahead of me, and my frustration  left me very discouraged.  I imagine there are a lot of students who have and will experience the same feelings of defeat as I did.  I believe that this type of learning will help eradicate those feelings of discouragement.  The students have the opportunity to go back and rewind the lessons as many times as they need without slowing down their peers, and they will have the guidance of their teacher to assist in any problems or questions that arise.

I love that Khan stated that this learning will, “Take the passivity out of the classroom, and allow the teacher to be a coach, not a lecturer.” I think this concept is key for the future of education.  Our test scores of the old system we have in place of a 50 minute lecture each day indicate that we are losing the battle in truly educating our kids. It speaks volumes that a man such as Bill Gates backs Khan and his academy, because he has been such an innovator in math, science and learning. This was a very inspiring segment about what a man can do with a closet, a laptop, and an educated mind.

Learning Online

           Learning on the Internet is nothing new. We have been witnessing college institutions offering online courses for a few years. What is new, however, is the availability of learning that is being made to the general public, and the notion that one does not necessarily have to go in debt for knowledge.  I watched a You Tube video that discusses different websites that allow users to listen to lectures and read important documents regarding different academic fields. Websites, such as, academicearth.org allows the viewer to watch a complete series of lectures by the same professor. This new wave of learning is fascinating, because it allows anyone who wants to better themselves and become educated the opportunity to learn what otherwise might be impossible.

Lewin’s NY Times article explores the difficulty some of the professors are facing once they have begun the new adventure of teaching online to anyone and everyone. Mr. Thrun was a professor at Stanford when he decided to teach an Artificial Intelligence course to students on campus and to students scattered all over the world. He discovered that online discussions and an eagerness to learn from the students enrolled in the online course gave him an addictive taste of how wide-ranging the possibilities could be in this type of format.

Mark Allan’s article discusses the latest trend that allows the everyday person to take a course from a respected institution from MIT or Harvard, but brings up a few points that deserve considerations.  He states that “Some courses don’t deviate from the traditional classroom-based model,” leaving some lectures to appear just as flat onscreen as they would be in person. He stresses that lecturers should not try to stick to the old plan of teaching but instead, should attempt to use the resources and uniqueness the online community provides.

            I like the idea that anyone has access to learning regardless of who they are because education can only strengthen society. It is important to note that not all the online classes are free, but even so, they are still cheaper than if one was to be enrolled at a university.  I personally prefer learning in class, but I think there are many who learn better at home.  I love the fact that there are choices being offered for different preferences and learning styles.

No iPhone 5 for Me

            I do not own a smart phone, and the “Find My iPhone” GPS service does not help convince me to purchase this type of phone.  In fact, the feature makes me more hesitant to purchase this type of phone now that I know it has this kind of capability. David Pogue’s argument is that the feature only works if the customer turns this feature on themselves, but how are we to know that the phone is still not being tracked at all times without our permission? He goes on to argue that we have bigger things to worry about than if companies may or may not be tracking their customers, but I disagree. We have all given up a lot of privacy in this technical age because of the convenience the technology brings in our lives, and this scares me that we are quick to dismiss that we all have a right to privacy.

            Since David Pogue is a technology columnist in a prominent New York newspaper, I have to question his objectivity in this issue. He was thrilled to learn that the “Find My Phone” component was able to recover his stolen device he so obviously loves, but I can’t help but wonder if he has any kind of monetary incentive in sharing his story.  I realize that his article about the iPhone 5 expressed frustration with the universal compatibility issue, but the rest of his article was very complimentary about the product and the genius of the Apple Company in general. His plea to his Twitter fans and his interview with PBS is great publicity for the company. He also paints Apple in a very attractive light that helps their customers with not only the use of the device, but also the recovery of it if lost. He seemed to completely brush off the idea that privacy is losing its footing in the country, because he loves his device.

            I am not saying that technology is evil.  I just do not feel the need to disclose where I am, whether knowingly or unknowingly any time soon.

Making History

       Clay Shirky's How Social Media Can Make History video, which discusses the various ways in which social media is creating a new technological path, is an interesting look at the impact social media has, is, and will continue to have on politics, the news, global disasters, and interconnecting with each other. His statement, "When technology gets boring it gets interesting," is a phrase that I had never heard before, but it makes sense. We have such incredible and constant technological advances, that we can oftentimes become less creative and complacent with our expressive selves. When the new eventually wears off from innovative concepts, society begins to find their creative niches and avenues into which they can break new ground. For example, people in China used their cell phones, which almost everyone had, to shed light on the tragic earthquake and its political aftermath that was taking place in 2009. So many citizens had voices in the media that were normally silenced by their government. People got creative with their phones and used them to teach the world events in real time. It was revolutionary.

         Tim Carmody's article 10 Reading Revolutions before E-Books reaffirms the idea that technology has to get somewhat boring before it can really take off, by describing that the printing press wasn't an immediate slam dunk in the beginning of its conception. He expresses an attitude such as, "This is incredible that we can produce manuscripts without copying them by hand, but now what?" Carmody explains that in the beginning there wasn't an obvious market for individuals that wished to purchase books, even those that were literate. He argues that it was a messy time early on in the Print Revolution. Once the new had worn off and enough time had passed, cultures realized it could unite "fragmented communities," and begin to form a much more universal written form of language. As with most things, it can be successfully argued that although new technology may at first just provide us with bells and whistles, in the end, it can ultimately be the driving force behind reshaping our thinking and manner of existence.

Digital Publishing

           I think that digitizing textbooks and other types of written work is going to bring about a resurgence of interest in reading and learning. In the last few years, publishing companies have been systematically losing money because the market has shifted from a predominately hard copy type of reading to one that is done online. Newspapers and magazines have especially been hit the hardest because they have to compete with news and entertainment agencies that offer free online information. Like Guy Kawasaki stated, “The customers who have already shelled out the money to buy the iPads are going to be willing to subscribe to content since they will want to use their new gadget.” The technology of reading everything online once seemed to threaten the publishing industry, but it appears that publishers that are willing to forgo the traditional methods of printing and adapt to the evolving technology will ultimately be able to once again compete in a market that has been pushing them to the side.

            I personally need a hard copy in front of me to learn, but I have to admit that the owner of Kno.com had me intrigued by his product. It is appealing to parents that their child can have everything loaded on one device instead of lugging around a heavy book bag, and that the student can interact with the content instead of just reading it. I did like the fact that the student could practice note cards as they read, or afterwards for review, because that is how I learn. The digital textbooks appear as though they would provide a better measurement for the student to see if they are truly retaining and understanding the content they are reading, especially if it is lengthy or heavy-loaded material. Also, because it is cheaper for the companies to create digital textbooks than published hard copies, they are able to pass the savings on to the consumer. This fact might mean that someone in medical school could save a lot of money on already expensive books. I think that whether we like digital books or not, they are here to stay. We may as well begin making the shift with the technology.