Which is More Educating: Internet or Fine Arts?

The readings of this week were very interesting and gave a new perspective of learning in the “internet age” verses the traditional ways of learning through books. Both Kearney’s discussion of media literacy programs and the article “Online R U Really Reading?” discussion on what children learn from the internet verses a book talk about the new age of learning.

On page 100, Kearney explains that putting so much emphasis on the fine arts over commercial pop culture “do little to encourage students ‘to draw upon their experience and knowledge, and to connect their education with political practice, or to be critical and active citizens in a democracy.’” This idea goes hand in hand with one of the points in the article. The article explains that “‘In a tenth of the time,’ he said, the Internet allows a reader to ‘cover a lot more of the topic from different points of view.’ Zachary Sims, the Old Greenwich, Conn., teenager, often stays awake until 2 or 3 in the morning reading articles about technology or politics on up to 100 Web sites. Though he also likes to read books, Zachary craves interaction with fellow readers on the Internet. ‘The Web is more about a conversation,’ he said. ‘Books are more one-way.’” The interaction that students receive from blogging about certain books or reading someone’s perspective on a news article from someone’s Facebook status gives the students different ideas and perspectives on what they are shown. Instead of only focusing on books, I believe they need to include the interaction of student with what they are learning, specifically by drawing “upon their experience and knowledge.”

As for the argument that the students have low literacy rates because they only read online, I feel as though that may be changing. It is now extremely easy to get books offline with Kindle and Nook both for PC and in the carry-around equipment. Also, students can see many people’s opinions and recommendations of books from reading Twitter updates, Facebook statuses from 600+ friends, and different blogs. They can then download the book with one click and can read for themselves to help form an opinion either with the recommender or opposite of the recommender. One way to facilitate this reading on their own along with gaining outside perspective would be for Kindle or Nook or the equivalent forms of e-book reading would include some form of chat between those reading the book or links to blogs about it to further this interaction.