5.1 - Lesson Notes

In general technology has the benefit of streamlining many processes in the modern day. Certain processes may not want to be streamlined right now, or there may be downsides to streamlining (such as tools for violence).

Dopamine is often a product of things like video games and social media, but they both have many harms such as too much escapism or, in the case of social media, high personal standards due to overexposure.

Blog Reflection

  1. Come up with three of your own Beneficial and corresponding Harmful Effects of Computing.

Here are some harms. >1. Computers could replace humans in certain professions, making people lose their jobs and overall decreasing the number of open jobs for people. >2. Computers can be relied upon too heavily for knowledge, making us have less personal intelligence (Open AI as an example). >3. Computers are programmed and cannot always understand the nuances that humans can. As a result, if we place too much emphasis on them, we may end up publicizing biased accounts of historical or current events.

And here are some benefits. >1. Many tasks that are already handled by computers can be improved as technology improves without many downsides to human involvement. >2. It may be easier to gain independent knowledge when it’s easier to find answers for what we need to know. >3. While technology can be used for violence and warfare, it can also be used to defend from it and prevent it.

  1. Talk about dopamine issues above. Real? Parent conspiracy? Anything that is impacting your personal study and success in High School?

Personally, while I do sometimes play video games or use social media, my involvement with these things has not decreased my involvement in high school. School has had the opposite effect, actually: I don’t use social media or play video games very often because I’m too busy with school work.

I think as video games have begun to implement intentionally addictive gameplay loops, it’s getting easier for especially the youth to get addicted. I think people who are old enough to know how to budget their time should not have to worry about restricting their online time as much, but parents should be expected to enforce measures to prevent this sort of addiction when identified.

5.2 - Lesson Notes

A major point of interest since COVID has been the digital divide. Quarantine requirements led many to rely heavily upon technology for school, work, and communication. Many, however, do not have access to technology.

As our society overall turns toward technology, those who do not have access ends up being left behind. While some do not use technology by choice, many don’t have access for financial reasons. Technological access can be expensive, and this growing digital divide can leave the less fortunate even further from the wealthy.

Blog Reflection

  • How does someone empower themself in a digital world?

It is pretty much necessary for someone to gain access to technology in the modern world to “empower” oneself. Using technology, we have a lot of influence over our personal image. It is also important to not reveal aspects of our lives that could get us punished in some way on the internet, as it may stay there forever.

  • How does someone that is empowered help someone that is not empowered? Describe something you could do at Del Norte HS.

The empowered help people by providing them the platform to empower themselves. For example, since Del Norte as a collective has the funds to lend students Chromebooks, they help empower them by giving them access. Empowered people can also help those who aren’t by teaching them how to best use their online access for their own benefit.

  • Is paper or red tape blocking digital empowerment? Are there such barriers at Del Norte? Elsewhere?

I would argue that paper or red tape don’t have much effect on digital empowerment as time goes on. I would argue that the main “paper” that blocks digital empowerment is money; money is generally what restricts people’s digital empowerment. It is this barrier that exists to some degree at Del Norte (though less, since we live in a generally high-income area), and definitely exists elsewhere. I would argue that red tape has little effect on digital empowerment as time goes on, since restrictions hardly relate to the biggest issue of the digital device.

As technological means of completing tasks becomes preferable, what is perhaps the larger blockade to digital empowerment is the early transition away from paper. Digital responsibility is an important thing to teach people, and those who aren’t taught how to be responsible may end up acting in ways online that harm them.