"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle."- Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
I believe that the writer of the is article brought up some very good points when it comes to our technology driven society. Many young children today have some type of "computer" like device within their reach, whether it be an actual computer, tablet, or smartphone, that they can access at any given moment. How many times have you seen a child of two or younger in a stroller with mom's phone or tablet just staring at a screen? In my line of work as an assistant manager in a children's clothing store, I see it all the time. It is a sad reality that having a screen in front of our faces is apart of the American way of living and growing up. What will happen when technology finally does "consume" us (for lack of a better word), and children entering Kindergarten, who let's say are learning their numbers, instead of actually trying to "learn" say "well why do I have to do it this way when the computer can just show me my numbers instead of trying to memorize them"? Trust me I am not one to say that technology shouldn't be integrated in the classroom. Our society calls for it; if we didn't we would be living in times that once were and don't fit the ways that children are learning and developing. But at the same time, too much of one thing can also be harmful. As educators and even a parents or future parents, we have to learn to find balance between technology and the "old" effective methods of learning. A child will still need someone to go over and explain a certain problem or question that he or she may not understand; technological devices can only do so much. Everything in life is about balance, it's up to us to find it.
Link to article: K-12 Technology: Benefits and Disadvantages.
Balance is definitely a key factor for integrating technology in our educational classrooms. There is another consideration though, as balance may be interpreted as leaning to one side more than the other. Often there is a need for just good critical thinking, effective problem solving, and having some 'vision'. :) Sometimes technology can help us with that...but sometimes we need to rely on our own well-trained brains!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to list all of your resources (that would include the MLK quote!) for future posts.