I grew up with a very poor understanding of what the Internet was. My pop-pop (dad's dad) was really into computers and technology for as long as I could remember. I had to go to his house to experience computers, Betamax, and VCR's. I have fond memories of booting up his computer and playing B.C.'s Quest for Tires. It's a far cry from the stereotype of today's older generation knowing nothing about technology.
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| en.wikipedia.org |
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| www.iretron.com |
Fast forward to high school, when I still didn't have a computer at my house. Any report that needed to be typed up had to be done on our stylish Brother WP-80 word processor. I had the fantastic options of using the behemoth as a typewriter (fat chance) or typing it out on the screen to be printed. Please note the high-tech A drive, used exclusively for the (hard) floppy disks that kids today know as the save icon. So my pop-pop, who had been deceased for a decade by that point, was more technologically advanced than I was.
This all helped form my understanding (or lack thereof) of computers and the Internet. My friend Brian asked me if I had America Online one day. I responded that I didn't even have a computer, but left confused. If you weren't using America Online, what were you using? I had no idea that there were multiple service providers. I thought it was AOL that developed the Internet, not Al Gore's initiative.
So my limited understanding led me to think there were only two players in the game: Windows and Mac OS. Forget about Linux or even Linux kernel-based operating systems. The full access to the source code that Linux provides makes it customizable, and a better option for users who don't like how Windows and Mac keep the source code hidden and therefore dictate and limit use. Only users with experience with open-source software can get full use of such an operating system. This customization is what Mozilla is looking to teach students how to do.
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Looking through some of the activities took me back to a class I took at Kean during my undergraduate studies. It was the early 2000s and my first exposure to Macs. We had to create very basic websites by writing code. Let's just say I have quite an appreciation for website developers.
I've often complained that too many kids use technology, but don't really acknowledge how it works. I have a vague understanding of it that has been slightly reinforced by playing around on Mozilla's site, but I feel like students don't fully appreciate what goes into every status they post. The ideas found on the website do a great job of explaining and showing kids how these magical devices really work.
Activities such as "Ping Kong" show students exactly how information goes from one place to another by having them role play as packets of information. I know a couple of kids who would benefit from this activity, thinking that information just falls from the sky. Other activities introduce students to coding, allowing them to create a customized site or cartoon.
I would agree that schools need to offer a class in web literacy that covers writing code, just so that students get a deeper understanding and appreciation for how to do it. If faced with two mechanics, I would prefer the one who not only knows what is wrong with my car, but can diagnose it himself. I would be hesitant to pick the mechanic who only fixes what a computer tells him to.
Until next time, behold my newest creation...
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| Made using Mozilla Thimble |
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