In the week that Ufi's futuristic vision of learning technologies was published, which predicts more use of machines, Trevor Gay - who is old enough to remember when a blackberry was a vital ingredient in his mum's apple and blackberry tart - asks: Are we too dependent on new technologies?
Be honest - how many of these apply to you:
* You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
* You email the person who works at the desk next to you.
* If you leave the house without your mobile phone, which you didn't have the first 10, 20 or 30 years of your life, it is a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
* You get up in the morning and go online before getting your first drink.
As far back as 2003 texting addiction was reported by the BBC. In this report the head of The Priory's addiction unit, Dr Mark Collins, said some clients were texting for up to seven hours a day.
In September 2007 according to The World Factbook there were almost 70 million mobile phones in the UK which has a population of 60.5 million people!
"I don't think we have become 'too dependent' on new technologies. I think young people could prove to be better communicators than previous generations because of the ease of communication today."It seems to me the perception of many people over, say 30 years of age, is that standards in the use of the English language among teenagers at school has dropped compared to 'when I was a kid'. Well surprise surprise as The Times reported in 2005;
'Fears that text messaging may have ruined the ability of teenagers to write properly have been shown to be unfounded after a two-year study revealed that youngsters are more literate than ever before.
The most comprehensive comparison made of exam papers of the past 25 years has discovered that the writing ability of 16-year-olds has never been higher.
Teenagers are ten times more likely to use non-standard English in written exams than in 1980, using colloquial words, informal phrases and text-messaging shorthand — such as m8 for mate, 2 instead of too and u for you.
Despite this, the two-year study found that today's teenagers are using far more complex sentence structures, a wider vocabulary and a more accurate use of capital letters, punctuation and spelling.'
Is it possible to walk more than 20 yards in any main street without seeing someone talking on a mobile phone? Wherever I go – whether it is for a quiet meal with my wife; or to a football match; or to play 18 holes of golf I cannot get away from it. Mobile phones have become as essential as the clothes we wear.
As a parent I worry about texting being a recognised and legitimate addiction. Like all advances there will be a settling down period before acceptable norms are established. Even then there will be extremes – those who fall outside the 'normal' statistical range. I think the rules are changing. New habits are being formed and will eventually be written down and become new rules.
We had an interesting family example recently when a highly intelligent 19-year-old studying for an English degree at university rang his mum to ask how a formal letter should be addressed. It was explained that when writing a formal letter it should be addressed 'Dear Sir or Madam' and signed off 'Yours faithfully'. If the letter is to someone you know, for instance, 'Dear John' then the sign off will be 'Yours sincerely'.
I was surprised this is not taught. I recall when I did my GCE O Level English language that these rules of etiquette were stressed as very important. Certainly when I started work in my first job at 16 years of age in administration at my local hospital, the boss was a stickler for this correct protocol.
I see no point in holding on to these 'old rules' for sentimental reasons alone. I am open to persuasion if someone can convince me it makes sense to hang on to the old rules while today's kids are not using them. And it's not just kids. I receive emails and letters addressed 'Hi Trevor' 'Trevor' 'Hi' and other variations. I don't think there are 'rules' any more. It's a free for all.
So what do we make of this?
I come from a generation where we were taught in a context that is not appropriate today. My generation was the last to go through a school career without the use of computers and so my teachers were teaching within pre-technology rules.
My suggestion: There must be new rules for the modern day and we should trust our teaching professionals to get it right working in partnership with young people.
Whilst a small part of me regrets the passing of the old etiquettes and protocols, I nonetheless have great faith in our young people to 'get it right' with new etiquettes and protocols.
My suggestion: I hope my generation embraces these changes, even if they appear alien. I remember my late beloved Dad being horrified when he discovered I would be allowed to use a calculator in Maths exams. After he had thought about it for a while, he told me the story of how it was considered revolutionary in his schooldays to use a slide rule as some teachers considered this cheating!
I don't think we have become 'too dependent' on new technologies. I think young people could prove to be better communicators than previous generations because of the ease of communication today. The number and range of people we can now communicate with across the world is incredible and I suggest that can only be a good thing.
My suggestion: Embrace all the new technologies and expect disruption to the traditional way we have communicated for the last several hundred years. We are in a new situation. We must be tolerant in developing new rules and etiquettes to face a new world of communication. There are going to be mistakes – we are learning as we go along. There is no precedent for this pace of change. Nothing is for ever and I say 'enjoy the ride'.
To see more reflections from Trevor you can read his last article on TrainingZone.co.uk or visit his Simplicity Blog at www.simplicityitk.blogspot.com Read more about Ufi's vision for learning technologies
Trevor Gay is an independent leadership and management coach, trainer, consultant and author with a self-confessed obsession for simplicity and liberating front-line staff.
You can contact him by email on [email protected]
