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The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

americanaffairsjournal.org

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Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#41

Post by deogeo »

virtuous_signal wrote: post #36

>The sciences and mathematics have a historic place in the cur­riculum, and technology does not, for the simple reason that the latter is not inherently “about” anything. Absent human contributions on specific topics, cut off from the subject matter of academic work, technology is nothing—an electron microscope without any samples, darkened VR goggles, an empty spreadsheet. Specializing in techne as such means trying…

> universal public education is a recent thing.

Not that recent - it's been around since the 1750s:

"The education reform was met with hostility particularly by peasants who wanted the children to work in the fields instead. Maria Theresa crushed the dissent by ordering the arrest of all those opposed." -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Theresa#Education

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#42

Post by dvdkon »

plughs wrote: post #8

Our elementary school uses chromebooks from 1st grade on, and I do see a lot of downsides. The most outrageous problem, IMO, is that there are 'modules' that must be completed, and kids with computer access at home can work on them at home. Kids from low income families are screwed over - again. Other problems - spellcheck is always on, why learn real spelling when the computer fixes it for you? - The de-emphasis on…

I can't agree about poor families being at a special disadvantage here. It's true that a computer costs more than paper and pencils, but families being too poor to afford a cheap chromebook is not a problem inherent in education. It's more of an indicator of a bad state of society. Of course, educators have to work within existing limits, but I wouldn't use it as a criticism of the idea.

Besides, kids from poor families are probably already disadvantaged in more significant ways, like not having too much time with their parents, since they have to work longer.

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#43

Post by yorwba »

elliekelly wrote: post #33
nickbauman wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no reasonable correlation between spelling and higher intelligence. It can be a proxy for minimum intelligence, absent other information, but that's about all.

Who said anything about intelligence? Spelling is a critical component of effective written communication.

That also means students using spellcheck is not necessarily a problem, so long as they can communicate effectively in writing.

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#44

Post by sitkack »

wiredfool wrote: post #24
devmunchies wrote: post #21

Article mentions Waldorf. A good, old article about Waldorf in Silicon Valley: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/technology/at-waldorf-sch... I just started my son at Waldorf in the Sierra Nevadas. Would recommend to anyone if you have one near you.

Waldorf does a lot of good things for pretty bonkers reasons. It kind of depends on what the philosophy your particular Waldorf school if that’s an issue or not, and what kind of side effects that has.

We did a Waldorf tour and a Montessori tour as I am Piaget constructivist fan. Waldorf was kooky-dooks, the specific Montessori had no soul, I am sure most probably do.

We ended up going with a preschool that was a chaotic hodgepodge, the best part of which they had two mandatory outside play times, no exceptions for weather.

Waldorf is extremely conforming. Good intentions with the wrong focus.

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#45

Post by new2628 »

Agenttin wrote: post #39
commandlinefan wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> kids with computer access at home can work on them at home More than once, my kids have been required to print something out, often in color. I have a crappy inkjet printer, but the quality is so bad that I've taken their assignments and printed them out at Staples a few times.

Taking a moment to proselytize on the value of color laser printers. They're well worth the investment. Inkjet printers are one of the greatest sources of human misery.

Except for the toxic toner-dust laser printers emit.

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#46

Post by sitkack »

duxup wrote: post #34

I think 'education' is largely just not aware how best to USE tech. Teacher's struggle with whatever applications were selected for them. Schools struggle to pick good systems / programs to use. It's early stages.

We have had Apple II in the class room from what the mid 80s? It is not early stages.

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#47

Post by MadWombat »

emmelaich wrote: post #20

My kid made a small complaint about missing out on the laptop refresh for his year; it happened the next after he had left the school. I pointed out that you don't need a laptop at all to learn. Abraham Lincoln famously used the back of a shovel to write on! (occasionally) https://www.lincolncollection.org/discover/ask-an-expert/qa-...

> I pointed out that you don't need a laptop at all to learn

I am going to assume that, being a good parent, that is what you do. That when you need to learn something new, you do not research it on your phone or laptop, you go to a library, check out a number of books and reference materials, read them and take notes (maybe not on a shovel, but on a physical writing medium of some sort).

That you did not blow off your kid's concern and left a smug comment about it on HN.

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#48

Post by [deleted] »

yorwba wrote: post #43
elliekelly wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who said anything about intelligence? Spelling is a critical component of effective written communication.

That also means students using spellcheck is not necessarily a problem, so long as they can communicate effectively in writing.

[deleted]

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#49

Post by novok »

jimbob45 wrote: post #3

I was considered a gifted child from a young age. In third grade, because of my "giftedness", I was told I could just read instead of participating in the class skit of the planets of the solar system. I used that time to complete the entire Chronicles of Narnia (good books btw - skip The Magician's Nephew and The Last Battle though). I've wondered what would happen if we scrapped the most useless 30% of my state's s…

The thing is there will be kids with low 'learning above reading' score (like a lot on HN probably) and kids with very high 'learning above reading' scores.

I heard one person call the ones you can throw a book and they will be good the kids you could put into a dark room and they will emerge literate.

I was also praised as a child because you could leave me in a book store for 5 hours and 5 hours later I would still be in the same spot reading the same book and enjoying it. I realized now I was praised for that because it was rare!

Re: The technology pushed into schools today is a threat to child development

#50

Post by duxup »

sitkack wrote: post #46
duxup wrote: post #34

I think 'education' is largely just not aware how best to USE tech. Teacher's struggle with whatever applications were selected for them. Schools struggle to pick good systems / programs to use. It's early stages.

We have had Apple II in the class room from what the mid 80s? It is not early stages.

One computer in a room is dramatically different than today.
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