Ross is the prototypical digital native. He says, “We all know ­people…who have all this content that they are not publishing stored on their computers. We’re trying to persuade them to live their lives online.” If this is how young people think, is it any wonder that their digital immigrant teachers don’t understand them?

The Savvy Technologist

I was reading the comment above, it got me thinking. Do I want to live my life online? I know that my communication with people has increased, it is easier to ask a question or say hello. But is that a good thing? People email me questions everyday, because it was easier to ask the question then to think it through or trouble shoot the problem themselves. Did we loose something here?

I can keep in touch with family and friends, share photos, videos and stories. I love this, it helps keep us closer. But I get emails and photos from people who are total strangers. At one point my email address must have been on long list of addresses they received and I must have made it their address book. I find out more then I ever wanted to know about these unknown people. It was too easy to send to the whole address book.

I learn a lot online, that is how I keep up to date in my profession. I blog, this is how I help develop my thoughts on my profession. I believe there are great tools and resources to foster collaboration and share information, online. If I did not believe this I would not be doing the work I do.

But something gets lost in translation I think. We need the face to face, we need the quite moments for reflection and thought. We need a chance to breathe, to wander in the woods, we need a chance to find some escape from all the “noise” we are presented with daily. We need to learn that you do not have to check email every hour. What is the protocol? Is there an etiquette we must learn? Who defines it? I believe we need to remember that these are tools, and they should be used to enhance our lives not control our lives. My life should be made easier by the “Online” world, I do not think I should have to live there.

But I am an immigrant…. Maybe I am missing the point.

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