It started innocently enough. I arrived in class early to make sure that the technology was up and running and I could provide my “old school” lecture. I was able to get the projector system working and connect to the Internet (my lectures are based on web pages so students can view them before or after class) without difficulty. I had some time to kill and staring at this group of 80 who were all 25-35 years younger than me was getting a little uncomfortable.
An impulsive thought crossed my mind and I loaded my email and clicked on a link. The connection was to YouTube and a cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya.” Immediate attention.
“How did you find that?”
“I saw it this morning while reading my email. It was an email from a listserv.”
“You get a list of interesting things to watch on YouTube?”
“No, I follow several lists that consider educational technology topics and someone just passed this link along because the song of was interesting and creative. I think the idea was that YouTube is not all junk and there may be some potential there.”
I turn back to the screen to watch the end of the video and notice the connection to another version of “Hey Ya” done by an accordian player at “Burning Man.” Out of curiosity I click on the link and play a few seconds. Interesting, but not of any great musical quality.
My mind connects with “Burning Man” and I tell the story of when Sergi Brin and Larry Page go to Burning Man and add a simple stick figure of a man to the Google icon so people in the know would understand that the Google people would not be around the office that week. Not sure they followed the story or understood the idea of adding symbolic additions to the Google logo, but the word Google did seem to be familiar.
“Have you been to Burning Man?” (perhaps they thought it was a new version of Woodstock and this was the type of thing we old folks do).
“No – I originally heard the story when listening to the audiobook version of “The Google Story.” I listen to audiobooks on longer car trips or when I am doing mindless things in the office. Sometimes I listed to podcasts.”
More blank stares.
“I’ll put a link in the show notes,” I said.
They seem to think I speak a different language – they having rewired brains and being digital natives and all.
Maybet it is better when I just lecture.
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