Clifford Stoll argued in his book, High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer Contrarian, that computers have no place in the classroom. There’s nothing wrong with computers or the Internet he insisted—it’s the reality of the educational system and its budget. This was in 2000, over a decade ago. Since then, computers and technology have evolved and become more integrated with our daily lives, and yet the price of this technology has vastly decreased. But just because technology is accessible does that make it king?
(WATCH: Technology integration at St. Mildred’s.)
Many schools are taking advantage of the educational programs available on iPads and other tablets and integrating them into the classroom. “The technology is not going away—this is part of their future,” says Susanne Goodridge from St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School, which recently introduced iPads as an educational aid. “The technology is going to keep changing as they’re getting older and we have to go with that and teach them how to use it responsibly,” Goodridge says.
A kindergarden class takes a lesson from their iPads.
As technology evolves and our involvement with it changes, schools perhaps will have to make some of the harder decisions about how to interact with it, especially when your average three-year-old is more proficient on a computer than some adults.
Related:
Growing Minds: How Much Media Do Kids Use?
A Parent’s Guide to Keeping Your Children Safe Online
Learning. There’s an App for That
About Wendi Percival
