Digital Pedagogy Unplugged

"'Hacking' these days means to adapt, manipulate, and make productive use out of a given technology or technological context or platform". By this definition I think we can all agree that every teenager in the world can be considered a hacker. Adolescents today are so wrapped up in technology that classroom settings of pen and paper and PowerPoint presentations seem boring. Fyfe brings up the argument of 'teaching naked' by excluding devices from the classroom. Most people would say this is impossible but they have not looked at the bigger picture. It is stated that the idea of 'teaching naked' is limited by only thinking of digital pedagogy as tools, and devices, however an interactive classroom can be created by means of separating digital pedagogy and human teaching. This means that the strengths of both methods are used effectively. Learners are comfortable using technology outside of the classroom and teachers are then able to actually engage with them during an ‘unplugged’ class. 

I like the idea of ‘cultural studies and digital technologies’ allowing learners the opportunity to learn and make their own interpretations of technology in relation to their culture. This is important in any country because what is considered technology in a third world country would be completely different to that of a first world country. Technology is not limited to a certain definition and each person is able to use their definition of technology to learn. This is true in the case of my home country, Zimbabwe, when I was in school we hardly used laptops in class or typed out assignments. Everything was hand written on multiple sheets of paper with teachers dictating notes to us - this was our technology. Now there are schools that only do typed and emailed assignments and have an iPad in every class.

I think it is important to remind learners about the labour that digital resources dissolve. I feel that learners are at the risk of becoming lazy and non-critical. They can google anything and copy and paste an answer they may not even agree with if they actual thought critically about it. Unplugging from the internet can allow learners to become more analytical and active in their education. I like the statement Fyfe makes: “This is ‘teaching naked’ as it is meant to be understood: using technology effectively, subordinating it to the pedagogical goals of the class”. Teachers do not have to see technology as a hindrance in the classroom, rather they need to see it as an effective method for 21^st Century teaching.