Digital Nation - Essay

In the PBS documentary “Digital Nation,” producers Rachel Dretzin and Douglas Rushkoff analyze the pros and cons of the technology developing in our world. The documentary explores several different aspects of technology in education, the military, and gaming to emphasize the notion that the technology and the internet are becoming ubiquitous throughout our society. After watching the documentary, I realize that technology and specifically the internet has extremely positive affects by improving our communication in education and the military. On the other hand, technology has one negative aspect in gaming and the addiction it can cause to not only kids but adults in our society. I recognize that technology can dramatically help our modern world but at the same time we need to realize when to pull the plug from the virtual world and come back to the real world.
According to the documentary, technology has helped schools have become an even greater environment for students to learn. Computers and the internet are able to help schools in ways we have never before seen. Students are able to access documents online from teachers through email and forums. And with a click of a button, students are able to read books online and find information about whatever topic they are studying in class. In this case, technology is making it easier for students to learn about new things rather than having to go to the library flipping through endless pages of books. As a result, computers have become ideal for the educational environment and according to Dretzin and Ruskoff when they analyzed a school in New York that had no computers, students did poorly in test scores. But once the school decided to use computers to keep students engaged in their class work, the school greatly increased their test scores and kept the students in school long enough to graduate.
Furthermore, Dretzin and Rushkoff suggest that technology and the internet has greatly helped our increase our military