This quote really got to me, because Snapchat does allow people to view something for up to 10 seconds but people can screen shot the image during that time. Being a teacher, I hear boys talk about girls sending pictures of themselves (inappropriately) on Snapchat. The boys brag about the picture that they saw and how they screenshot it and sent it to all of their friends. This quote makes me mad, because the photo does not disappear forever once the 10 seconds is up. Once a video or picture is out there it never disappears and some people don't understand that. Everyone needs to communicate with their words instead of just sending pictures, but they also need to learn that sending images and videos are out there forever and can never actually disappear. I have a lot of friends that communicate via Snapchat and won't use anything else. Yes a picture is nice to receive sometimes when you don't see someone for a while, but I want a meaningful conversation. I cannot stand watching my students text or take "selfies" instead of talking to the person that is sitting right beside of them. I have a no cell phone rule in my classroom, because students were wanting to text instead of learning the new content or working in a group. When I was in school, I didn't have a cell phone and I never wanted one. I would rather talk to my friends face-to-face and have an actual conversation rather than seeing what they are doing via pictures.
21st Century Communication
Resources:
Bilton, N. (2013, June 30). Disruptions: Social Media Images Form a New Language Online. The New York Times. Retrieved May 30, from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/disruptions-social-media-images-form-a-new-language-online/?_r=1
I used the same image that you did because I also feel that losing the art of face to face conversation, or even voice communication over the phone, is a disappointment. Can you imagine all communication being replaced in this manner? Not having a conversation with your husband when you are upset but sending an angry picture of yourself, instead? I know it sounds comical, but this is the generation we are producing.
ReplyDeleteHi, Brianna! I agree with the fact that it seems that so many people have chosen to communicate almost entirely by using some form of social media. While I am an advocate for social media in the aspect of keeping in touch with others, as a hobby, or just a fun way to connect with your community, I also dislike the fact that it seems our society today has forgotten how to communicate face to face and focus on the "right here, right now."
ReplyDeleteI loved your visual metaphor. That is something that we all see probably daily. Opting for technological communication rather than face to face.
I certainly think it is important that friends and family interact verbally with each other when they are in a face-to-face setting. I also have rules in my house that limited cell phone use especially at the dinner table. However we need to be careful about perpetuating mainstream media portrayals of disconnected teens because they are heavy social media users. In fact a study executed by the National Institute of Health found that youths with strong, positive face-to-face relationships may be those most frequently using social media. Additionally, social media can particularly helpful for introverts who struggle to form meaningful relationships with their peers. I for one love texting because I like being able to have the time to formulate my thoughts in writing and the opportunity to edit them so that I am sure I saying exactly what I mean. I find that I am often more thoughtful and more witty in text messages than I am face-to-face. One perceptive central to the field of new literacy studies is that we need not privilege one literacy practice (sending a text message with a cell phone) over another (talking on cell -phone). Instead we need to understand that they are just different. They have different affordances and constraints. As educators we need to understand these affordances and constraints so we can learn how to use them to support learning in school in a way that will prepare our students for the digital age.
ReplyDeleteI like the quote that you pulled from the initial article about Snapchat. That is an app that I don’t have and so I only know the picture only lasts for a few seconds (which doesn’t make sense to me). When I was reading the article, ‘like a casual exchange on the street’ kind of got my attention because I never really thought about it like that. It is true though. If that picture just last a few seconds, it is just like you fun into someone for a minute, they tell you where they are or what they are doing, and then they are gone.
ReplyDeleteI also most definitely agree that just because it ‘disappears’ quickly, doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. I worked in the public schools as a sub and the things I saw/heard in the high schools regarding texts, selfies, and whatever else the kids are up to, was nothing but bad news.
And you visual metaphor!! Ah it's is absolutely perfect for this topic and 100% accurate I feel. I have a younger sister and every time we do something together, especially dinner, she has that cell phone glued to her hand and it drives me crazy!. It is sometimes sad to think that people would rather text than actually talk to their friends/family face to face.
You make a really good point here about the importance students today place on not only social media, but their phones in general. I've seen kids act like the world is ending if you tell them they can't use their phone. I like how you also mention that even though people are only supposed to see an image for so long, it can still be screenshot, which means that it doesn't actually go away. Your visual metaphor does a good job of explaining all this too! It goes very well with what you were saying in your post!
ReplyDelete