Comments on: moving away from a paper trail

By: msessex

msessex — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:29:59 +0000

Your ponderings are put so prettily, and you touch on such a crucial component of generational divides in the uses of technology. I think the value of the “paper trail”, of any of the mementos we hold on to and carry with us, is that we have invested our emotional memories into the visual cues of the objects. Although “real-world” objects may hold certain sensory information not recordable in a digital form (the faded scent of perfume, the soft touch of velvet), digital forms may store other forms (photos set to a soundtrack, for example). The key, I think, is that we hold on to things that remind us of the feelings we had at a certain time. As the common tools of everyday experience change (email vs letters, etc), so will the common cues for our memories. What feels tangible may even change as people’s habits of interactions change.
The richness, as Rick says, comes from the interactions we have with others and, I would suggest, ourselves. As such, the forms with which we choose to preserve our memories will always come down to that with which we are most comfortable, most familiar.
As educators, it is certainly a worthy goal to share with our students multiple formats, and opportunities, to create their own cues for recording what they value in their lives.

By: Karen Gustafson

Karen Gustafson — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:32:21 +0000

You, as a member of your team, provide students with lots of experiences, tangible and intangible. A work that they are proud of will be saved as a hard copy. Think of all the things you provide for them as part of a middle school faculty: hiking field trips, visits to historical sites, conversations — these may not be tangible memories, but they certainly are ones that enhance their living experiences. There’s a balance between tangible and intangible, being aware of that need proves that your students will not be left out of the tangible ones!

By: Rick Biche

Rick Biche — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:13:35 +0000

I think the richness of life comes from the interactions we have with others and with our experiences. To narrow those interactions by restricting them to only one form of memory, whether, digital, cognitive, or on paper would surely narrow the scope of ones life. I am always seeking a balance among the ways in which I experience the world and I hope that I have done well. As for our students, I would ask how do we, as individuals, teams, and institutions model this? Are we seeking balance? Do we offer students the opportunities to find other ways in which they can return to the experiences of their lives?