[Air-L] digital literacy takes a field trip to a farm

[Dominic Pinto]

denisecarter at denisecarter.net wrote:
> Kim said<<<Let's also remember that looms, pens, and even language  
> itself are technologies, so when we say logging off, what exactly do  
> we mean?  Not sitting at a desk?  Not using ICT?  --I know this may  
> seem nit-picky, but I just want to be sure I'm thinking f the same  
> thing as others in the discussion when we talk about logging off, or  
> about technology.>>>
>
> How fascinating don’t you think, that in this web2.0 wired, converged  
> and connected world that we are now beginning to understand (maybe),  
> that the phenomena of ‘logging off’ from ICTnow seems out of the  
> ordinary and worth studying!!
>
> Well I for one am relieved, I can now reveal my secret vices:
>
> -I love that end of the working day when I switch off my computer,  
> pour a glass of wine and ‘speak/logon’ to my husband.
> -I hate students who email me on a Sunday afternoon and expect me to  
> reply asap even though I only work part-time!
> -I like spending time alone in my greenhouse, and recently planted  
> cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers (I didn’t speak to them and they  
> didn’t speak to me but give it time…)
> - sometimes I give myself an email-free day
> -I take it personally when someone doesn’t text me back or answer  
> their mobile, especially when they always reply to messages received  
> when I am with them
> -I log off most nights for about 7 hours sleep
<snip>

This prompts to me muse:

- about the sad suits who have merrily gone around for the last 20 or so 
years talking about speaking off-line (machines off-line are unable to 
communicate)

- just seen this in the Register - not quite an e-mail-free day:

A group of Canadian self-confessed geeks is asking concerned citizens to 
turn off their tech on Saturday 3 May - dubbed "Shutdown Day 
<http://www.shutdownday.org/>" - in an attempt to "spread awareness 
about the pitfalls and dangers that lie in the extended and unnecessary 
use of, and exposure to television, computers and computing equipment".
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/28/shutdown_day/

- it has been said that the invesntion of the charabanc destroyed the 
way of life of the English village, the invention of radio destroyed the 
civilised pastime of reading the newspaper at breakfast, and that the 
invention of long distance and direct dialling destroyed the art of 
writing letters ..... the ubiquitous connected always on PC and other 
'devices' have destroyed 
..................................................................... ?

Answers only on a postcard please - perhaps that could be the 
competition of the year :-)


Dominic