Reading Reflection #1

Friday, April 12, 2019

As I headed to work this morning, I listened to the Author’s Note from Sherry Turkle’s
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. In her forward, Turkle provides information regarding her academic background and her research experience. With a background in psychology and anthropology, she joined the faculty at MIT, where she was drawn to study the culture of computers, and their effect on human interaction. She was able to witness incredible advances in the technological world through the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and also how these technological advances affected humans. She has several published works, but explains that Alone Together focuses on two narratives. One is the phenomenon of “the development of a fully networked life,” and the second is advancements in robotics. Ultimately the book explores how young people (ages 5-early 20s), who Turkle describes as “digital natives,” make emotional connections with technology.

In her author’s note, Turkle makes several poignant remarks that stood out to me. The first: “These days, insecure in our relationship and anxious about intimacy, we look to technology for way to be in relationships and protect ourselves from them at the same time.” She goes on to remark “We fear the risks and disappointments of relationships with our fellow humans. We expect more from technology and less from each other.”

These two remarks really got me thinking about meaningful use of technology. They also gave me a clear indication of what concepts this book is going to explore. As an educator, I think this book will help me explore my own relationship with technology, and understand what students of various ages expect to get out of technology in the classroom. I am looking forward to exploring these concepts through this book!