Chapter 1 Responce

           Our world is changing very fast. After reading chapter one of Personal Learning Networks, I see the realization that we are rapidly moving towards the digital world. In the book, the authors talk about six significant shifts that are supporting connection and network building. One of the shifts the authors talk about is that we are moving from analog to digital in very big and very fast ways. I agree with the authors opinion.
          In chapter one, the authors talk about how many places are making digital books and journals. Before electronic readers came out, you had to go to the store or library to get a book. I know from my personal experience that it is inconvenient. In middle school and most of high school, I read books so fast and then wanted another one. I always had to wait till it was convenient for my parents to take me. Now, with my electronic reader, I can go onto the internet any time I want and download a book. I have almost every book at my fingertips. With the electronic reader, you can also get a magazine or the newspaper without leaving the comforts of your home. Down the road, holding an actual book in your hands will be considered odd.
          In chapter one, it talks about how Google is attempting to digitalize all books, and how Stanford Engineering library is going to become bookless. Both of those are big steps to becoming a digital world. You can purchase a lot of your college digital textbooks and put them on your laptop, electronic reader, or an ipad. By doing so, it would make college students’ backpacks lighter. Stanford is just one of the many schools that are becoming bookless. Some high schools are getting electronic readers and installing all the books on them. It may make the books last longer because we won’t have any wear and tear from the use, but on the other hand if one of the electronic readers break it will be expensive to repair. It would also allow updates for new editions cheaper and more quickly. We are moving into a digital world, which may bring new problems.
         The world as we know is changing fast. Things like holding a book or taking a test on paper are disappearing. New technologies are being invented that will change the way we live and work. As new generations come to school, the way they learn will be different from anyone before them.