Editor’s Letter

Technology, according to a Canadian survey on work performance, has assisted people to increase their productivity by 400% since 1950. That is an amazing statistic. At Tyndale we have seen a huge trend of communication moving from print to online – our website traffic increases yearly by up to 55%. In the home, you see two-year-olds who know how to find their games on the computer, while an 85-year-old grandfather who never used computers, is reading books and newspapers on a tablet.  Communication and relationship dynamics are being dramatically changed by Facebook, texting, and Skype.

In the past few months, I have had numerous conversations with friends, pastors, teachers, and parents on technology. The conversations centred on the question: How do we navigate the world of technology? This issue of the magazine is about how the Tyndale community is navigating the world of technology in the classroom, businesses, and the church. The issues of children and teens using cell phones in schools and the effects of technology on learning are complex. You will read about Tyndale students and alumni who run tech-based companies that are thriving. We found no research on technology and the Canadian church, so we designed a survey and sent it out. Three hundred and sixty-eight churches in Ontario answered the survey and the results are very interesting. There are amazing things we can do today because of technology. There are also darker sides to technology, where it can become an addiction.

I keep asking myself if I am consciously choosing what technology I use and how I use it. I find I can’t make a conscious decision unless I take a few weekends a year and completely unplug. This is when I can make conscious choices on how and if I will use the newest gadget or social media site.  Everyone is different. I have friends who wake up with their cell phones beside them to check Twitter, Facebook, email and even some websites before getting out of bed. They love it. Each person makes their own decision, conscious or unconscious, on how they interact with technology.