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The virtual college
The transition during the past four
years was revolutionary. Somehow, though, the whole thing seemed
like a magical blur. It was almost as if the Internet appeared
overnight as the undeniably integral part of college life that
it now is. Once upon a time, professors used overhead projectors
without LCD panels and laptops. Once (I think), students led
discussions without PowerPoint presentations. And there was
a day that a campus visit was the best way to gather facts about
an institution.
Now, virtual visits and web wizards
are increasingly normal parts of college. The extent to which
technology has changed college life and the speed with which
it has done so are quite remarkable. Now, my alma mater (母校)
hosts an interactive virtual community, complete with sports
scores, activities, a live webcam, preview video, and a spring
finals schedule.
E-mail has made faculty easier to reach
- we no longer have to wait for their single office hour in
order to establish communication. And it's much easier for
them to led us know that class has been cancelled. Commuter
students live easier lives through helpful computer connections,
and distance education is booming as technology continues
to make astounding advances.
Is there a caveat (警告，告诫) in all this
bustle? Have colleges simply succumbed to (屈从) the mandatory
technology trend to avoid being buried in the dust of the
twentieth century? I must wonder how far is too far when venturing
into a virtual reality. I sometimes worry that the e-mail
culture will injure the important development of writing and
interpersonal skills.
The technology influx has, most certainly,
made college life more informal. Less and less is it necessary
to stand in a line or talk to a real person. And while the
Internet is wonderful and amazing, I pray that this convenience
won't develop into a curse.
What would happen, for instance, if
in 10 years, the college student culture (those current youths
who now worship the Web and live in pre-teen chat rooms) were
to degenerate into a virtual existence of online communities
and cohorts (一帮人，一伙人)? I am slightly frightened by the fact
that I have myself spent extended moments of silence on the
phone with a friend while we both wrote/checked our e-mail.
When we consider the distance that technology
has come in the past five years, a further drift from classic
communication is not improbable. Technology and "online-ness"
is most certainly an undeniable part of life, and a crucial
part of the college experience. But in order to preserve meaningful
relationships, I think it's also important for the university
to prioritize the personal contact and group dynamics that
shape student development. Also, students should take the
initiative to maintain such ties to beings that function sans
([法] 无，没有) Pentium chip.
Thus, I leave a few important
tips: enjoy the Internet, but call your mother. Refrain from
e-mailing your roommate. Drop in on a professor. Attend a
concert instead of downloading the MP3. And please, please
don't get a sunburn from the warm glow of your monitor!
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