:Connecting the Dots

I sympathize with Scott MacLeod, who decries the information overload he experienced at NECC.  In my case, the problem with being connected was less about the overload of information emanating from the conference and more with my inability to avoid niggling issues back at work.  Monday morning started off with a cell phone call from the high school assistant principal about a problem with comments on report cards.  With my laptop, I was able to troubleshoot the problem in our web-based SIS.  More issues followed.  Even when someone wasn’t calling me, I was checking e-mail.  As a result, I found myself missing out on large chunks of lectures, workshops, etc.

I’m not a bad multi-tasker, either.  But I can’t help feeling that the thing that we all celebrate so much about computers and the internet - being connected when and where we want - has its dark side and at least in this case somewhat prevented me from fully enjoying the face-to-face interactions at the conference. I wonder if students ever feel this way when they are barraged by texts and calls from friends during class or when they are trying to enjoy a movie or be with their friends.  We all assume that, unlike us, they enjoy and can manage that full-time connected-ness.  Perhaps not.  Can being connected prevent your from connecting?