6/28- Turkle & Wesch

Question- What is the relationship between Turkle and Wesch? Do you see them as allies, or opponents in this discussion of new media and technology?

As I dove into both of these articles, I had trouble making a connection between Turkle and Wesch's ideas and main points. Turkle relays the idea that conversation is becoming a dying art because technology is consuming the ability and desire to do so. Turkle does an exemplary job at holding onto the negative impact that technology has had on human relationships. One of my favorite lines from the article reads, "We are tempted to think that our little “sips” of online connection add up to a big gulp of real conversation" (pg.2) Connections made through technology tend to give people the sense that that is enough to create real conversation and connections that are equal to what could be in person. 

In turn, Wesch's article revolved around a much broader idea of communication and relating it to student success in the classroom. HIs work can relate to aspects of communication outside of the classroom as well. Students coming into Wesch's college lecture classroom had difficulty engaging in work he was trying to relay back to him. It was not until he gave them a voice to speak up about their college education did he realize that they were not open or accessing the way of learning Wesch provided. Wesch writes about his experiences examining his work and concludes that he need to flip it to the way students will access it best. Wesch writes, "
As most of us know from our own experience, the best learning almost always occurs in the absence
of a teacher, for it is then that learners are free to pursue with great passion the questions that are
meaningful and relevant to their own lives. Focusing on the quality of learning, rather than the
quality of teaching transforms" (pg.5).
From listening to the words of college students, Wesch understands that his teaching is not working for them. His classroom is boring. His lectures don't matter to them because they can't stay awake long enough to relate to them. A change needed to happen.

We are not living in a world where communication and learning look different. We can either conform with what is happening in the world of communication, or we can push back against it. I think when looking at both Turkle and Wesch's articles, Turkle is pushing against our modern world while Wesch is embracing it. Now I do not think either author in their opinions is incorrect. Do I think too many people are texting at the dinner table instead of interacting with the people in front of them, like Turkle? Yes! Do I think, especially as educators, we can make adjustments to fit the needs of and relate to our students? Yes! In the matter of these two articles, Turkle and Wesch would be more of opponents than allies simply because Turkle believes that conversation means to converse with words face-to-face, and that is the only "real" way to do it. Where Wesch kind of stomps on this idea is his matter of showing that generations can collaborate and communicate successfully, regardless of the method chosen to do so. They both believe that communication is key to successful interactions and skills, Wesch thinks through tech is okay. They both believe, in a way, that societal norms are the cause for assumptions and expectations in a specific setting, and outside of it. The difference lies within Turkel and Wesch's differeing point of views on how to solve this. Norms did not necessarily change, they are now just needing to be redefined .