Please see our presentation on The Peel in the video below.
Text Material, explained:
The Good
"Perhaps the most ubiquitous technology in children's lives today are mobile devices--tools such as cell phones . . . Research has shown convincingly that students thrive when curricula incorporate mobile learning devices"
- Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D. from Rewired, Chapter 9: Rewiring Education
According to Rosen, children understand mobile technology very well. Depending on the age of a child, most children do not understand the concept of numbers very well. It is much easier for a child to recognize a picture of their favorite TV series, than to try to remember the number of the channel and how it corresponds to the show he or she wants to watch. So by using a cell phone coupled with The Peel's technology, children could more easily watch what they want to watch, with their parent's consent.
- Jared
The Bad
"Young children often respond to the unrealistic quality of television in very real ways."
- Rosen, Rewired, Chapter 7: Media Literacy among 21st Century Kids
Research has shown that children think that what they see on television is an accurate representation of reality. For example, children who watch Batman probably think that they can have Batman's abilities, which can be dangerous on the playground. Due to The Peel's ability to pull up different shows and visually consolidate them into one app makes it easier for children to discover shows that their parents may not approve of, especially violent shows.
- Dieu
The Peel conveniently condenses various technologies into a common device: the iPhone. However, The Peel requires a wireless router, a device that many people do not own. Its app is free and presents you with suggested television channels, similar to what StumbleUpon does with websites. My concern with StumbleUpon also applies to The Peel: I believe that our mental faculties will be dumbed down if we are given a technology that thinks for us. Our ability to analyze will decrease if we no longer have to make mental decisions, even those as trivial as choosing a channel.
ReplyDeleteAllowing the iPhone to be a main component of this technology gives it one more area of our lives to have dominion over. Already, cell phones take up our time at the dinner table with our families, in line at the movies with friends, and in classrooms where learning takes place. Of all of the sensory-dense technologies out there, television is one that I believe still offers us the slightest bit of seclusion, solidarity, and “space to think our own thoughts” (Turkle 203). With the iPhone pervading that realm, we become distracted with text messages, Facebook, and the many other technologies compacted into the iPhone. Maybe I’m just against change, but I think television is one of the few diluted technologies we have left, and one that we need to preserve.
While I think the Peel is an interesting technology (Can't find the remote? Use your iPhone!), I don't think I would rely on it solely. I feel like I would probably use the remote control most of the time. The part of the Peel that I'm most interested, though, is the app. I have a few shows that I watch regularly, so it would be nice to see recommendations based on those shows.
ReplyDeleteOk, several points:
ReplyDelete1. Pretty limiting that it's only on iPhones
2. Is something like this really necessary? Sure, an all in one device is nice but they make universal remotes. Besides, what if you are using your phone and need to change the channel?
3. I don't think this will have any developmental effects, everything in the peel exist elsewhere in some form so the peel specifically won't do anything I believe.
I agree with James that there are clear downfalls with the Peel, but it has a few pros too. The limitations due to price and only iPhone will already limit users. If they expanded the compatible phones and more people could use it, price would go down. Also, when watching the video demonstration in class, the delay was evident. I would much rather have the direct and more instantaeous connection with my TV. As far as the "Pandora" aspect for TV, where show suggestions are given depending on what you are watching, I feel like that is a really neat aspect. However, I would rather save my $100 and channel surf myself. Future implications could be implementing that in to the TV itself or having a new and updated TV Guide channel on cable to provide this service included with the TV or cable price. As far as human development goes, this app just does the thinking for you, so in some ways it limits your thinking. In other ways, it allows you to rid your mind of remembering what time shows air, so you can focus on more analytical things. In Carr's the Shallows, he states, "Our ways of thinking, perceiving, and acting, we know now, are not entirely determined by our genes. Nor are they entirely determined by our childhood experiences. We change them through the way we live...through the tools we use" (Carr, 31). If we use the Peel for the betterment of our thinking, it can be a great tool. However, if we get too bogged down with this technology and watch TV too much as a result, then it could have negative effects. It's up to the individual to choose to make this tool a positive one for the development of our analytical thinking!
ReplyDelete