C. 3 Technology skeptics’ argument

Myself being in the middle of becoming a technology enthusiast and or a skeptic, I found that these two chapters had compelling arguments for each cause. As I stated in my previous post, I worry about how much technology should be intergraded in the classroom as well as the safety for students involved.  But even after reading the two arguments, I still find myself contradicting what I have previously stated because I am still torn between the two ideas having very different opinions on each.

            The chapter starts out with many quotes stated prior to my existence; it was really eye opening to see people thinking about paper and pens as ‘new technology’.  Many quotes made me giggle as they referred to ballpoint pens ruining education, and teachers refusing homework that was done on the computer.  It is mind boggling that these simple things that we take for granted were new ideas for people years ago. It makes you think that if people in the 1800’s were referring to paper/pens as new technology, what will our grandchildrens' new technology be?

            I agree that the cost of providing students with a personal laptop is high and that many of the things that would help make this technology problem more manageable is cost efficient.  Although it feels like most families have a home computer, some children don’t. This is a disadvantage to students working on online homework which they would not be able to do at home.

What I feel it seems is that the root of the problem for the technology argument comes down to the fact that all students must have access to a computer for their resource.

            An argument brought up in this chapter is the amount time that is lost when students start up a computer before use in the classroom.  Teachers would have to make transitions between each subject as this loading time would cause waiting periods between each discussion and activity.  Even though this is true, and that integrating technology in the classroom may be costly, it can still help maximize individual learning with the students.

            It’s true what the chapter says, that computers can’t teach.  It is not the same as the human interaction that takes place in all classrooms around the world. Teachers are there to help students by teaching social skills, playing fair, keeping hands to themselves, to put things back where they found them, cleaning up after themselves, and proper hygiene as well.

            All in all I find that there has to be a common ground between the two sides. There should be enough human interaction as well as technology used in the classroom.  Children should have to learn the way to do things on their own rather than just rely on a computer.  For example, students should learn how to write/print before they learn how to type; they should learn to do math on paper before they do it on a calculator.  Writing with pen/pencil should still be taught, but technology should be integrated in as well to have the students learn what resources they will be using in the future.