EdTechTrek

Well, this morning I did something that I swore that I would never do. I got up early and lined up at a local Target store to try and get a Nintendo Wii for my sons for Christmas. It has been sold out everywhere and virtually impossible to get. We are not a big video game family, although my kids are more interested because they are growing up with friends who are steeped in the video game tradition. I am so thankful that my kids love to read and play and sing… We just felt that they could actually use a good bout of video gaming and the Wii provides a great experience.

Anyway, I heard it through the grapevine that a local Target was getting a shipment to be released Sunday morning. Those waiting in line would be rewarded at 7:00 AM with a “golden ticket” (it was pink, actually) that would guarantee them a Wii any time until 12:00 noon. Well, not being a fanatic about this, I woke up at 6:00 A.M and was outside of Target by 6:40. There were only 7 people in line. I could not believe it and was totally prepared to turn around and go home at the sight of a huge line-up, some who had probably camped out all night! It turns out there was only a couple - grandparents at that - that got there at two in the morning and were quite annoyed that no one else was there. They had woken up to make this pilgrimage for nothing! So, they went home and came back again at 3:30 A.M. only to find that they were still the only ones there. It was funny to hear their annoyed tone as they recanted this tale to those of us in line. I was eighth in line. A few more folks arrived and by the time the Target offical came out at 7:00 to pass out tickets, there were perhaps 15 of us in line, all shivering as it was a cold upstate New York morning. The guy beside me (ninth in line) was worried that there would only be eight tickets passed out. Apparently, this was his third try to get one of these. I assured him that this would be his lucky day.

Well, once we had our tickets (it turns out they had 57 units to sell!), we all left for coffee or something. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Tim Horton’s, quite proud of my accomplishment as a early morning line-up capitalistic greenhorn. I came back just before eight to see about 30 folks all mobbing the front door. As they let us in, they all went running to the electronics section. It felt as if I was running with the bulls in Pamplona! I was just hoping I would not be gored. I felt quite giddy as I let everyone rush past me - as I had a ticket. They did not.

They made us form two lines. The line to the left was for ticket holders. The line to the right was for those found wanting. Now I felt like I was living in the south a hundred years ago with one bathroom for african Americans and one for us whities. Not trying to make light of serious history here, this whole thing was very strange, indeed. Oh, the looks on their faces as they fretted and whispered to one another and pointed to us in the ‘good’ line. We had it made.

Well, to end this story, I bought the Wii console and an extra controller with a charging station and went home to my wife and kids, feeling like I had conquered something of significance. I had to tell my kids that I went out for a newspaper and coffee (which was true), as they were quite curious why I had been gone so long and so early on a Sunday morning. What do I make of all of this? I’m not sure. It feels like I have sold my soul somehow. I had only seen such craziness on the news and chuckled at those ridiculous people. Now I am one of them. I will have to reflect further on this and post more later. Merry Christmas, kids.

Wow… even physical education programs are seeking ways to integrate technologies in the battle against increasing obesity in children. Heart monitors and analysis software were at one point cutting edge. Now, we have the emergence of video games… in the gym!! How so? A recent article by the Orlando Sentinel describes how students are decreasingly motivated by traditional games and

exercises, but the convergence of video gaming and dance has developed, resulting in a new movement called “Exergaming” - students dancing to the music and the video on the screen, trying to follow the correct foot motions on a sensor foot pad. There are a variety of levels to complete, with increasing difficulty. If it is helping a inactive generation get active, then I guess it is a good thing. But, what if we think a little more deeply. Is there just no way to help today’s youth appreciate the simple things in life… to find satisfaction in personal achievement… to set a non-digital goal and strive for it? Is this type of initiative simply feeding a digital-only generation? Will this type of initiative get kids “hooked on an active lifestyle” as the article quotes, or will it further entice kids to a digital lifestyle? Will the next generation no longer play soccer on the field and opt for a virtual soccer game instead? Will they no longer explore the beauty of nature in person but rather through a 3-D headset and a host of other sensors? What is it with a good (not highly competitive) team sports game that kids are not interested? Is that worth investigating?

I am no luddite. Rather, I am a huge tech geek at heart. But at what point to we stop embracing a digital lifestyle in efforts to bring balance to life? Change will happen regardless of what we think - and change can be very good, of course. But are we guilty at times of helping to accellerate change at an unhealthy rate and in unhealthy directions in the name of a highly digital economy and society? Of course, I am sure no P.E. program is advocating a 100% digital curriculum…I hope. But if they could, would they? Should they? Am I just way off in left field here? Are we really still in the “dark ages”, as Steve Sanders, director of the University of South Florida’s school of physical education and exercise science, is quoted as saying here? Should we be in even more of a hurry to digitize life and leave traditional ways of existing, knowing, understanding, finding beauty and satisfaction, … behind? Am I just having a bout of nostalgia here today?