A
Turn to Technology
Lisa
Acerbo
Every day I enter the classroom to witness students playing Trivia Crack
or texting a friend
or family member. Even when
I say “put you phone away,” I see the occasional student glancing secretively
toward his or her
lap, trying to hide the fact that a cell phone is there and a text is being sent or received. According to the Pew
Research Group1, as of January 2014: 90% of adults in the United States
have a cell phone. There is little doubt that
technology, especially cell phones, has changed our lives.
I work on the computer every day, whether marketing my
books, writing, or
teaching online college classes, and I use my cell phone to send messages and
stay up to date with email. Like my
students, I also can’t resist the pull of popular Candy
Crush and Trivia
Crack. When my
daughter is at college, I have
my cell phone at my bedside in case of an emergency. After reading “The Pedestrian” and “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury with my high
school Science Fiction class, I began to think about the consequences of
technology in our lives. I love science fiction and hoped Remote, a 71,000 word, futuristic novel, would open discussions on the
topic.
Doubtless, cell phones
have many benefits in and out of the classroom.
Knowing that my daughter can reach me at any time makes me feel
secure. I can get GPS and directions
when driving using MapQuest and Google.
My students look up information, record homework, read books, and even
type essays on their phones.
News also comes quickly these days as well, but not
always accurately.
I live in a town that borders Sandy Hook,
Connecticut and remember the day of the school shooting in December of
2012. In class with students, phones
suddenly began to buzz as they started to receive news about the tragedy. At first it was reported that there were two
shooters. The number of student and
teachers involved changed minute to minute.
Many of the students with friends
in the nearby community were distraught and panicked. Getting the news quickly is often
advantageous, but when it is not accurate, like in the case of Sandy Hook, it can
create a panic. It is important to
consider how the same cell phone that might create an adverse situation, can
also rectify it. Cell phones made it
easy for students to connect with parents, helping the school in a time of possible
crisis.
Is there a clear answer
whether
technology in the classroom is helpful or
harmful?
The same Pew Research
Fact Sheet1 stated that “67% of cell
owners find themselves checking their phone for messages, alerts, or calls —
even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating.” Schools have an electronic use policy, which can range from no
phones in any class to appropriate usage being decided by the teacher. Most of the times, teaching cell phone
etiquette and responsible use is enough to hold class without
disruption, there are other consequences to technology to consider.
Using a phone or computer as a buffer can isolate individuals. How many chances of holding face-to-face
conversations are replaced with text messages,
Snapchats, Vines, and Instagram. Individuals can miss the opportunity to engage in society, meet
new people, and partake in life experiences. In the end, society will have to find the balance, but in a world that often prefers
instantaneous gratification and excess, is that possible?
Remote
Lisa Acerbo
Genre: Science Fiction, romance
Publisher: Etopia Press
ISBN: 978-1-941692-34-9
Number of pages: 207
Word Count: 71,000
Book Description:
When technology fulfills every dream, reality becomes a nightmare.
Below the streets of New State, the undergrounders fight to remain free of the technological control of the world above. Every night, Yara risks her life fighting New State’s deadliest weapons, the drones. Half human and half machine, their living half tortured until everything human is gone, the drones have only one objective. Kill. And they do it with exacting precision.
Yara is good at her job and committed to her raids on New State. Until one of those raids brings her face-to-face with Joshua, a New State citizen who doesn’t quite fit her preconceived expectations. After a couple of awkward encounters, he shows her the meaning of hooking up—a computer simulation that allows people to live out their fantasies—without the complication of emotional entanglements or physical reality. But what Yara feels for Joshua is very real. And it’s punishable by law.
As she and Joshua grow closer, she convinces him to leave New State for her underground cause. But as the unrest between New State and the underground escalates, and the drones move in to destroy her world, nothing goes as planned. Families are arrested, loyalties are strained, and Yara’s forced to choose between her people and her feelings. The wrong choice could mean the end of her people, and reality could slip away—forever...
Available at Etopia Press Amazon BN
Excerpt
“Hi,” he called
out.
Yara’s heart
hammered, and adrenaline coursed through her limbs. She turned to run.
“Wait,” the
stranger whispered. “I won’t turn you in. I’m out here too.” He obviously
didn’t realize that Yara was a rebel. He might not know it yet, but he would
soon. Still, he didn’t sound dangerous. Maybe Yara could take care of him. She
had never had to kill anyone totally human, but she had trained to do so. At
this point, she didn’t think she would need to. The skinny boy didn’t look like
a real threat, either.
She turned back
toward him and attempted what she hoped was a look of death and destruction.
Instead of being
scared, he smiled at her and brushed the hair out of his eyes. Even in the
shadowy street, Yara could see the color was a beautiful emerald green. She had
a hard time looking away, until his voice jarred her back to reality.
“I’m
Joshua15111,” he said robotically. “What are you doing out here?”
“I could ask you
the same thing.”
“Enjoying the
night sky,” he replied, each word clipped and succinct. Unable to make
prolonged eye contact, he looked toward the stars.
“Aren’t you
supposed to be hooked up to an alternate universe, enjoying battle, boobs, or
whatever perverted fantasy you want to conquer tonight?” Yara asked, and then
instantly regretted her words.
“Hey, it’s not
like that. You know how it is.” For the first time, his voice took on a more
humanistic quality. He sounded peeved.
She grunted in
response. She didn’t know anything of the sort.
Joshua15111
looked at her briefly, quizzically. “Wait, do you know that? Are you one of
them? The rebels?”
Oh no. “What
rebels?”
“Are you for
real? Everyone knows about the rebels. You must be one. Are you a rebel? That’s
so cool.”
Me and my big
mouth. Fear finally overtook her. Vague ideas about running away from or
fighting the stranger flitted by, but Yara’s feet felt like concrete blocks.
She wasn’t even sure she’d be able to form a coherent sentence if he asked her
something about the underground.
About the Author:
Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and holds an EdD in Educational Leadership. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughters, three cats, and horse. She is the author of Apocalipstick and has contributed to local newspapers, news and travel blogs including The Patch and Hollywood Scriptwriter.
Twitter @Apocalipstick_
1 comment:
Happy New Year! Thanks so much for being part of mt blog tour. I love questions. Connect with me at https://apocalipstickthebook.wordpress.com/
Post a Comment