“Digital Facelift” sounds like a slap in the face, when higher education thinks it is making “progress”, Campbell is quick to say oh no! that isn’t what progress is about, this is is just a mere “facelift”. This essay was an interesting read, for one thing, Campbell did mention some key points that are worth pondering over. The idea of students building their own personal cyber infrastructure that extends to their life after college is note worthy, not only do they acquire  technical skills and engage in knowledge transfer in a digital world, but they are also able to network with folks all over the world, while sharing and acquiring knowledge from other minds other than theirs. Students directing, and managing their own lives whiles learning through the process sounds like exactly what the IT world needs for  a complete revolution. Campbell’s vision of a world where students, faculty and staff collaborate to learn new technology and its application is also noteworthy. He says and I quote “Like the students, faculty and staff must awaken their own self efficacy within the myriad creative possibilities that emerge from the new web”.

By the way,  isnt teaching students at an early stage to be technologically equipped another way of making them so reliant on technology, that they will almost get to the point where they can’t do without? Then what happens?. My biggest critique of this essay will be that he is proposing a world where only virtual communication exists, Campbell  automatically assumes that all students, faculty  and staff have access to the kind of technology he is proposing. Scenario, what happens if we go along with Campbell’s proposal, we all wake up one day and technology is gone, systems are permanently shut down, and data is lost forever, how does the world start over? Is it then that we start implementing plan B? and is there even a plan B. Reading this over a hot cup of tea, I obviously felt Campbell’s passion for a more technologically advanced world, however, it is almost as if he refuses to acknowledge that with  the advancement of technology comes a whole host of issues, some of which are yet to be solved, why then compound the situation? Believe it or not, I am not against technology or its advancements, am all for it. Its just scary how much we are becoming  so reliant on it that we are literally not pursuing other means of communication in the educational systems and even in our personal lives.

Take a look at Campbell’s proposal,  if faculty and students are communicating through the web, what is the point of office hours? If anyone of you readers is anything like me, there have been instances where I have exchanged emails with Professors and there has been miscommunication on both parts, I go in to talk to them during office hours and problem is solved within a matter of minutes. What I would suggest is some sort of balance, while we are educating ourselves on the latest technology and finding ways and means for faculty, staff and students to communicate, let us explore avenues means as well.  We need to get a point where even without technology, we can function and be content with our modus operandi. I am not suggesting that we make technology secondary, it could still be primary but not take center stage in our lives, its all about finding that balance. We should be using technology and not the other way round. Its all about finding that balance, Good essay though, read it a couple of times and it  still intrigues me each time I read.