Re: tkt8763-01: Failure to Connect

["Jennifer L. Blount" <jlb2@ra.msstate.edu>]

Y'all might kick me out of the class after this one!  My brain just got
caught in an undertow.

Aimee, I think you asked a very important question:  "Will students learn
and grow from technology if they are exposed to it in a proper way and at a
proper age?"  I have not read the book, so I'm not necessarily defending the
premise of the book, but furthering the thoughts spurred on by Deedie...just
play "devil's advocate" for a few minutes!  It's always good to reeeeeeeally
dig into something when you have people who will throw things right back at
you.  (:  Technology in and of itself is not a wonderful thing.  Why would
it be needed if there were not people to use it for their own benefit?  On
that basis, it would seem important to at least propose a question about the
pros and cons of children and technology.  The first part of exposing
children to it in a proper way at a proper age is making sure that
adults/teachers understand what is being said and done in technology.

An exciting day is a day of new discovery.  We are in the midst of that
EVERY day with technology.  We cannot forget, though, that we now have a
rapidly growing medium for information exchange, and it is important to
understand the information that is being exchanged.  Think about the
messages that we get on television.  Our brain can be easily affected by
message that we don't know are affecting our brain, so we have to make sure
that technology doesn't have an emotional effect on kids...just as we should
be careful of what kids learn from TV.  Too much of it may make them little
zombies.  (:

I heard on Paul Harvey or PRM the other day that the line between movies,
TV, commercials, computers is so blurred right now that we almost don't know
how to deal with it.  A Hollywood director proposed that movie stars are a
dying breed, because soon ONE person will be able to create a cast, direct,
costume, film, edit, produce, sell a film by computer.  We have to be
careful that our world does not slowly get shoved into a 17 inch monitor.  H
as anyone else noticed this?  Life's experiences are being replaced
sometimes by simulations on the internet.  People meet people in "chat
rooms," visit countries and museums by "virtual tours."

My closing point is that we do need to understand WHAT we are teaching
children in school and its effects...not only how to use certain things.
It's great for a child to create things using computer programs, but you
can't hang a computer screen on a Christmas tree, you know?

Like I said, just playing devil's advocate.

Jen
-----Original Message-----
From: Deedie Pearson <jjolly3@hotmail.com>
To: tkt8763-01@ra.msstate.edu <tkt8763-01@ra.msstate.edu>
Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 9:14 AM
Subject: tkt8763-01: Failure to Connect


>I would love to read Aimee's book, "Failure to Connect." Aimee, could
>you send me the info with the author and the ISBN number?
>
>I am always open to new information but I have to be honest, this
>concept sounds like "garbage" to me. That is why I am so interested in
>reading the book.
>
>I would also suggest that you read "Growing Up Digital" by Don Tapscott
>before beginning a class discussion on this topic. If you should decide
>to discuss this in class I would love to join in.
>
>I have very strong opinions concerning the worth of technology in the
>classroom, especially at a young age. I want start now because I would
>probably talk longer than Dr. A does.
>
>Did I mention that we often stayed to 10:00 in ASIP, and even then HE
>sometimes through us out?
>
>Deedie
>"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself." -Chinese
>Proverb
>
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