I have a small problem with the analogies at the beginning of this article that are not analogous to the author’s argument. Comparing youthful computer use to alcohol use or driving a car as a youth is too much of a stretch. This sort of thing makes me leery as to how much hyperbole I’m going to have to swallow, and it makes me mentally discount any statement that is vague or is not backed up by reasonable studies or statistics.
His suggestion that since we are teaching computer literacy to students we are not teaching certain values like, “commitment, loyalty and tradition” is an argument that could be made for just about any subject.
However, just because his argument process is weak, it doesn’t mean that the essence of what he is saying is wrong. The article has a solid core of truth; we don’t need to be pushing major computer literacy on young children and there are more important things to be teaching.
The main ideas that can be lost in this rambling article are:
- Students still need to be prepared for the world of technology
- The authentic world, and worldly values, are critical parts of student growth
- Parents and teachers need to recognize and secure a balance between both worlds
No comments:
Post a Comment