Turkle vs. Wesch- Allies or Opponents?

What is the relationship between Turkle and Wesch? Do you see them as allies or opponents in this discussion of new media and technology?

Sherry Turkle Professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, believes that we are alone together is this new digital world. Devices have become so psychologically powerful that they change what we do and who we are.   We now see people using phones during meetings, classes, and even in the same room as the people we have chosen to spend time with.  This has somehow become accepted practice.  She argues that technology is actually keeping us from making the connections that we say we deeply crave.  It is keeping us in a state of isolation limbo.  She explains the Goldilocks Effect.  We don’t want to be too close to others, too far apart, but just right.  Technology, according to Turkle, gives us the control of how we want to interact and how much we want to interact. It allows us to edit our interactions.  Real life doesn’t allow this.  Real life requires us to be far more vulnerable. Turkle says we are lonely but afraid of the intimacy that real life brings.  But technology fools us into thinking we are connecting with others.  It tempts us when we are lonely.  Turkle encourages us to find a better relationship with technology, one that is more self aware.  

Which brings me to Mike Wesch.  We learned from him that we need to critically look at how we are educating our students these days.  Are we dumping facts in front of them or are we teaching them to be critical thinkers who engage in discussions with their peers?  Wesch believes we need to rethink how our classrooms are set up.  Technology is a huge part of our world and it isn’t going anywhere.  He believes that we can use technology to engage with our students and get our students to engage with each other.  By doing this education is more meaningful and significant.  

Sherry Turkle asks, “How can we use digital technology to help make this life the one we love?”  Mike Wesch is asking the same thing about his classroom and his student’s learning.  How can he use technology to help create a learning environment that inspires creative thinking and dialogue.  While they may seem at odds, Turkle and Wesch are both asking the questions of technology in hopes of moving towards better engagement and connection.