Saturday, August 27, 2011

THE DOUBLE EDGE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

Recent criticism of UK education - or its absence - in computer science by the head of Google no doubt has some justification.

However, the digital age has itself dumbed-down important areas of our personal and professional lives, as well as enriching these.

Many young people have professed themselves addicted to digital technologies which in recent weeks also facilitated destructive social disorder on our streets.

Digital sweatshops abound and few could not relate to some digital detox in their lives.

In the area of transport planning, for instance, whilst information technology has facilitated positive developments, professional practice has also become a slave to this.

The double edge of digital technology means that its usage can have regressive as well as progressive outcomes.

Critical thinking needs to be deployed and this is perhaps another shortcoming in UK education.

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