As a parent and a future educator I can see both the positive and the negatives of technology in school. I love technology. My house is inundated with electronic everything. Computers, laptops, video game systems, smart phones, even our microwave is technology at its best. I love technology.
That being said, I do believe that students need to develop fundamental skills prior to utilizing the benefits of technology. Yes, I love my spell check, but I can actually spell with at it. Going through school, I was taught to do manual calculations. It wasn’t until my senior year in Calculus did I get to fully use a calculator. My teacher said, “if you didn’t know how to add, you wouldn’t be in this class”. I think that technology has its place in the schools depending on the level of the student.
When I get my class, I want technology to be part of it. I love the idea of a “smartboard”. They can be used so many ways. I believe that a laptop/computer lab is a must. If the school cannot afford a laptop lab for every class, then a mobile laptop lab is a great solution. Having students learn to use technology keeps them interested in school. Using the computers is also a great reward for students completing work or getting good grades.
Even though I love technology, I do not believe that cell phones should be used in classrooms. They are a distraction. My children can barely put them down to do chores. We have a strict NO CELL PHONE AT DINNER policy, and have had to enforce that policy a few times. They carry their cell phones to school (no internet access), but they must be turned off during school hours. My husband and I are really strict and have pulled cell phone records to verify compliance to this rule.
My last thought is of teaching responsibility. Cell phones, and other technologies, are a great way to teach responsibility. My children know the rules and face the consequences when these rules are broken. As always, consistency and follow through are important.
So, is technology a blessing or a curse?
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Right on Becky!! Fundamental skill are so important. Everyone needs to have these in order to compete in todays society. Just think how much our society would digress without them.
ReplyDeleteI can post! I Can post! Thanks Tom! I certainly am a digital immigrant! I am grateful for this technology,but I am a bit intimidated by it and frustrated when I can't get it to work for me.
ReplyDeleteCell phones are not going away. I agree that they are a distraction for many kids at school. My oldest is 11 and none of our kids have phones yet. I know there will come a time when she will seriously want and feel like she needs a phone. I know that when that time comes we will have to set some clear boundaries and rules with the phone. After all it is a privilege not a right to have one.
The kids these days truly are digital natives and because of this they require different attention grabbers. I do think that they should learn the basics of reading, writing and math inorder to use the technology. What would happen if the power went out and none of them knew how to do simple math computations or look up a word in a dictionary. These skills are a necessary right of passage even in this age.
Cell phones and cheating are a big concern. Cyber bullying and sexting are also a big concern. These activities have always been around in schools but now they are taking on a digital form. We need bright and innovative solutions to these kinds of problems. What those solutions are.....I don't know. For right now I think the best solution would be to keep the phones out of the classrooms. Computers and laptops should be all that the students would require to be engaged. Maybe I am in dream land here and I probably am because after all....I am a digital immigrant... because when I was in school we were lucky to have one computer...blah, blah, blah!
I agree, children need boundaries, and you have done a really good job finding a way to allow your children to still have cellphone priviliges but with very appropriat boundaries. When it comes to school though I do not think that cellphones are helpful, but I am very grateful for my cellphone and it's many uses. I do agree with your post about setting boundaries with technology.
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