Watch this visual poem by Michael Wesch
In your groups discuss/ argue about what you think is the most important ideas that is expressed by this poem/ video?
Can the youngest person in the group please then add a comment that best represents the view of your group.
14webbk: 
Siya: 
Elisabeth, Joe and Sophia’s Comments and thoughts:
We think that one of the most important ideas is the fact that every time we do something on the internet, the computer learns from our action, kind of like us: we learn from what others teach us. We also think that because of us the web is constantly changing just as we are.
We think that the part about “The web is no longer just linking information… The web is linking people” is a really important idea of the poem. We think this because it is saying that the internet will change everything. We also think that “We’ll need to rethink family We’ll need to rethink ourselves” is an important idea. We think this is an important idea because, family and ourselves our the root of who we are, and it is saying that we need to change everything about ourselves and our life.
Tessa, Tessa, Ayaka, Max
Aili, Shohei and Nayana
We think that this poem is controversial because some may agree with this but some may not. For example the last 13 lines. we also think that the machines may end up taking over the world, because if the machines get a brain they wont need humans to use them. the machines are also like a drug because people get very addicted to it. This poem makes you think in a new point of view about the wed 2.0
- Aili, Shohei and Nayana
From Seth, Manami and Sara
Without us internet wouldn’t be active. Because of us internet started developing so now you can do more stuff with it. For example, before the internet was used as a way of obtaining information. Now, it is used to communicate with others. Through photo sharing, blogging, etc. Not only does internet teach us(because its full of information) but we also teach it.
The most important ideas according to us, (Victor, Christian and myself) are that we are organizing all the information over the internet and this joins all the humans on the planet. We are also teaching the internet in this way. As Michael Wesch says, ‘the machine is us’ so this shows we are teaching ourselves. But there are limitations that we need to think about, such as privacy and commerce.
We think that it would be dangerous to progress too far in internet development. We also think that giving internet learning capability would be dangerous (the world would turn into terminator or eagle eye type of scenario).
David, Sean and Zoe,
I am not so sure that we are in physical danger from our computers or machines as depicted in the terminator films but I do agree that we need some caution and control over what the internet allows companies and organisations to know about us.
The google search engine is an incredible tool and the new applications and innovations created by this company are very clever but, I dislike the way gmail reads my e-mails and then selects adverts connected to the keywords. I understand that the web innovators and designers need to get paid somehow but we also need to protect people’s privacy. This is an example of when I want the machine to back off.
I think Sophia, Joe and Eli make a great point about the ‘us’ ness of the internet. The web has gone from reflecting the society and community it is used by to creating and supporting new ones. I think you (as HS students and beyond) will be very much part of these new communities and I am interested how you will shape and organise them.
I think this video helps make a strong case for information technology literacy being a key skill for students in 2009 to develop….Mr C