One of the ideas that float among education ‘wannabe’ is that technology will solve all our educational illnesses. Students with a connection to the internet will have an unlimited access to knowledge resources, and will be able to research every topic to their youthful curiosity, independent of a tiresome teacher…
Good idea? Of course! Does it work? Not necessarily…
I have seen it time and again, at public and private school, high level as well as low level classes. Whenever students have free approach to internet during their class time, they use it for entertainment, not to broaden their scholastic horizons…
As a math teacher, I am convinced that technology introduced at a too young of an age, during learning of basics, ruins the ability of students to build their own mental tools to conquer simple tasks, let along challenging ones. Their imagination is being limited, and their young brain is incapable of making easy connections.
There are tools available to portray more advanced concept in math, and I have seen nice concept applications, but if these tools are presented too early, they prevent the brain from developing ability of abstract thinking.
In different subjects, where learning consists of knowledge acquiring, like history and social studies, computers could be very helpful in looking up facts and researching events. However, as good as it sounds, these usages are not commonly utilized; as soon as students are able, they are off to their interests; Facebook, fashion, tabloid, games, even full length movies or football playoffs…
I recently clarify that fact to a group of our friends, who discussed, during a social event, the benefit students may enjoy by having a computer available in each class and subject. I made a strong argument that every internet access is soon becomes a source of distraction. Less than a week later, a new situation highlighted my point...
I was assigned to a computer application class, the perfect place to merge computer capabilities learning with fun skills practicing. No sooner than the class started, it happened again... Despite the fact that assignment was clear, creative and enjoyable, students, instead, chose immediately games, movies and social media…
Unfortunately, once more I was proven right…
