I pride myself on being a person that is not technologically-reliant. I refuse to put a television in my bedroom, my phone gets turned off at 9:30 pm sharp, my laptop is used primarily only when necessary, and I am not (although I don’t pride myself on this fact) up to speed on many, ok, any, of the new technologies available on the computer, or otherwise. But this week I spent having no contact with any technology besides ski lifts, and it was hard!
My family and I spent the week nestled in a condo on a quiet ski resort in the mountains. We had zero internet, computers, or cell reception. The days were spent skiing, and the nights spent visiting in the hot tub. It was fantastic. However, today on the way home, all of us had our phones turned on trying to get a signal as soon as we pulled onto the gravel! I felt that I had been deprived!
Not only that, but I was loaded with texts and emails that began with polite requests or comments, and by the end, had several emails/texts from the same people that began to sound increasingly impatient. They were “curious” (or more like demanding) about why I had not responded for several days. Have we become so dependent on technology and the speed that it allows that we have come to expect immediate responses?
I must admit that I do get a bit impatient with professors or classmates that do not regularly check their messages when I am trying to communicate with them. However, as a a teacher, and as a professional that is communicating with other teachers, parents, and students, how available do we have to be? How much is required? And how much is expected?