Most universities also have a ‘portal’ or ‘blackboard’ for both tutors and students to interact on. It consists of a student timetable, dates for your diary, previous lecture and seminar notes, library catalogues and acknowledgements from tutors. These are up online twenty four hours a day and are easily accessible rather than having to go round finding lecturers etc. If Leah was against this technology she would be unable to access any of this information and would be limited to accessing certain facilities.
Leah would also have a very limited access to references and sources when researching for essays and dissertations. Even though she would have an amount of resources in the university library from books and journals there may be theories and journals online which might not come across in a book. She wouldn’t be able to browse the online journals or online library catalogue. This would result in her findings being very limited. Leah would also find an online module in her degree a problem as she wouldn’t be able to complete it, this could result in a very low mark or even failing that module.
Not only would the lack of technology affect her academic life, it would also affect Leah’s social life. She would be unable to contact friends and family through a mobile phone, E-mail, Social networking sites and IM resulting in her having to write letters to friends and family and waiting for them to reply this way also. If she was planning on going for lunch or on a night out with friends she would be unable to contact them if there were any changes to the arrangements. If one of Leahs friends was to mention that she had uploaded some pictures from an earlier night out to a social networking site such as Bebo or Facebook Leah would be unable to access/view them. If Leah didn’t use any of these technological appliances she would end up feeling left out and a bit of a recluse from her friends. Her friends/colleagues may get frustrated as to why Leah doesn’t wish to use these technologies and be literate with modern technology. This could result in possible arguments between friends and colleagues occurring and could permanently affect her social relationships.
Smith, S.E (2003) ‘What is a neo-luddite? Wise Geek. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-neo-luddite.htm [accessed 14/03/09]
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Personally, I think socio-determism plays a larger role within the technological society and think that the fact we as a society are shaping technology makes it harder for ned-luddites to stick to their values and beliefs? As apposed to techno-determinism where the developments were seen to be 'out of our hands.'
ReplyDeleteRINCY!
ReplyDeleteA good post which brings out the possibility of social ostracisation as well as academic disability.
ReplyDeleteWould such a disagreeable fate be the result of sociodeterminism? (as cara seems to suggest) or of technodeterminism -where there really is no alternative?
To Leah it would seem pretty clearly that she is being directed forcefully to capitulate to technology wouldn't it? Would anyone admit that this wasn't inevitable, but actually the result of various interest groups deciding to use technology for their own purposes?
What do you think anyone?