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Students Do Better Without Computers
Gogogoch writes "The Telegraph
is reporting a large study that shows that the less students use computers
at school and at home, the better they do in international tests of literacy
and math. The more access they had to computers at home, the lower they scored
in tests, partly because they diverted attention from homework. Students tended
to do worse in schools generously equipped with computers, apparently because
computerised instruction replaced more effective forms of teaching. " Worth noting that it took almost 20 years for PCs in the corporate environment to actually have a positive impact on productivity; might the same be true in education?
Corporations still have a hell of a time keeping employees off of Solitaire and Minesweeper. I think this is not a computer problem, but a "bored at work" problem. I can remember my teachers in high school - most of them were the most boring people you would care to meet. A select few would enlighten and invoke interesting discussion and methods to achieve success on the course.
Well, work is called work and not vacation for a reason. Work is not something that is fun and exciting for most people and IMHO it shouldn't be. Work is something you do for 8 hours a day to pay for the fun shit you do at home and on the weekends. I have posted about this before and said that once work becomes "fun" you don't want to have a life outside of it. Sadly that's what's wrong w/our culture and why so many things are fucked up with it (ie a 60% divorce rate).
As far as not being properly motivated by teachers (using your example): Honestly, that's up to the student. If you are talking about workplace managers, then it is the manager's fault for not doing their job.
Let's put more money into better programs and methods for teaching, and wash out the teachers who aren't interesting. Maybe add some profit incentives for teachers?
I agree.
Teachers don't care. They know that once they are there for long enough they aren't losing their jobs. They have this thing called a union which makes sure they continue to get raises and better benefits.
Let's educate our teachers better. I went to college with a group of people that will be teaching MY children. One was a 23 year old teen fucker -- just the person I want to be teaching 16 through 18 year olds. One was a moron -- and when I say moron I mean when you talked to him he had one of those blank looks on his face at all times as if it just wasn't connected up there. Another was the happy-go-lucky dumbass -- you know the one that was more interested in cheering and being happy than actually having any knowledgebase to share. The last example was the cute girl that smoked a TON of pot type -- you know, stoned 24/7, like the teacher from Half Baked.
While I don't expect teachers to educate my children on everything, I do expect them to be better than the four fantastic examples I just gave. I am willing to take an active part in my children's education but I expect them to be able to learn from that education I give. Not to have learned their building blocks of education from a bunch of burn outs and morons.
-- end of rant --
It's called "No Child Left Behind"...
That's just down-right ignorant.
Do you really think that Educators only started whining about Feelings, Sensitivity, Self-Esteem and all that other mush-brained left-wing crap on 08-Jan-2002 (which is when W signed NCLB).
"I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
Is this an example of what you teach?
writing suffers immeasurably when using a computer.
If you can't measure any difference, who cares?
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