Too much computer access may hinder education report
Briana M
Over the
past decade technology has been one of the main resources for teaching students
in schools. Many people fail to realize
that the mass use of technology may actually be harming the education of
younger children. In the article: Too much computer access may hinder education
report, written by Keith Bonnell raises the concerns for younger students in grades
one and two. He argues that the use of “computers could cut into the teaching
of basic subjects”, such as reading and mathematics.
In Manitoba
the provincial government says that the schools are integrating computers into
as many of their lesson plans as possible. This use of technology comes at a high cost
for the government of Manitoba. Millions of dollars are being spent each year
by schools and school boards to give elementary and high school students access
to this technology. Specifically Manitoba spends over $26 million annually on
technology in the province’s school system. This rounds to about $60 for every
high schooler in Manitoba and $46 for every elementary schooler in the province.
Over the year 2007-08 Manitoba planned to have a budget for spending of
technology in the school system of $32.3 million only for computer equipment,
services and salaries.
Mr. Michael
Zwaagstra, a Manitoba high school teacher wrote a report focused towards
Manitoba’s priorities for spending money and said “The money could instead be
spent on capital costs for school and more teachers”, instead of this new
technology. Zwaggstra also questioned how much sense it would make to teach
elementary students to use this technology and software that will be replaced
with something newer and better in a few years. Along with all this extra money
going towards this technology, this is not the only problem. Several studies,
including one from an international review, show that the students who have
more access to computers at home and at school had lower scores in math,
reading and science then the students with less computer access. A professor of
curriculum studies at the University of British Columbia states that “It’s not
the computer that makes kids smarter or not smarter, it’s what they’re doing
with the technology”.
I think that
increasing expenses on technology in schools is wasteful. I don’t doubt that
there are many students that learn very well and efficiently with the use of
technology, but then again, there are many students, like myself, who have a
hard time keeping up with the technology in today’s society and are much better
at a “hands on” or “old school” type of learning. I personally am not able to
type something on a screen and effectively memorize the facts, I need to
physically write out what I am seeing to have a deeper understanding of what I
am learning about. Additionally, technology makes some people feel nervous, I
am one of these people as well. Technology give more opportunities for
distraction and can frustrate those who aren’t as tech-savvy. Personally the
thought of having to do a power point presentation or creating a blog for a
class frustrates me in two ways. First, I cannot learn efficiently from this
method of presentation and secondly I have extreme difficulty understanding the
technology I am required to use, no matter how much instruction I receive.
Therefore, I would highly prefer personally the old format of using textbooks
and taking notes by hand and projects that do not involve making power point
presentations. The only technology that is useful to me is the internet for
resources and Microsoft word.
No comments:
Post a Comment