As a elementary school teacher, I feel very strongly about students interacting with “real life” before interacting with virtual life. The hue and cry over technology replacing authentic experience is not necessary. Both experiences can co-exist. The question becomes, what is the ethical balance?
For me, the ethics is determined by the progression–what is introduced first. Some may find it counter-intuitive that a computer teacher has a queasy feeling when she sees a 5- or 6-year-old doing a puzzle online when there is a wooden or boxed puzzle available or when that same child is digitally painting when fingerpaints are sitting on a shelf in the same room.
Yes, there is something quite “neat”–in every sense of the word–about digital or technological replicas of toys and experiences. Yet, young children, especially, need to hold, touch, feel–>actually cut and paste–>discover through tactile and kinesthetic experiences before they are able to use these experiences as metaphor.
I have discovered that in about 3rd grade, some children are able to grasp the concept of “cut and paste” as a metaphor. Otherwise, children seem to comprehend the act of “cutting and pasting” on a computer as some kind of magic. I have even tried to go a step further by saying that the words / pictures / etc. have not really “disappeared” when they are cut, but have gone onto an “invisible clipboard” . . . well, you can see where I have lost them, at this point. Children need to see that you can physically cut words and pictures and then physically move them and then paste them some place else before they can fully realize “cut and paste” on a computer.
This post has not even approached the topic of whether a mouse and / or keyboard were designed for the developing fine motor skills of young children. Have you ever witnessed a beginning computer user (whatever age) attempt to double-click or control a mouse? Imagine what it would be like to try to do so when a mouse is designed for a hand much larger, stronger and more dexterious than your own.
Not to mention, the possible studies that raise the question of flickering monitor light on developing eyes . . .
Many considerations arise . . . and yet I have also witnessed the captivating power of the immediacy of digital images. The same 4- or 5-year-old pre-readers whose computer skills were under question in the puzzle and painting scenarios mentioned above, can just as easily benefit from the digital images of food items on a school menu before they know how to read the menu choices. They can use tiny cut-outs of their own faces to learn how to create graphs–personalizing a math lesson. They can help to locate and take pictures of letters and numbers on the playground or in every day life to create and publish a book of numbers, letters and words.
In short, technology is not the enemy encroaching on ”real life” experiences. It is a resource–dare I use the cliche–a tool, misused by some but thoughtfully applied by others. Our responsibility is to tip the balance in the direction that benefits us all.
4 responses so far ↓
1
Scott Morton
// Feb 10, 2006 at 9:09 pm
What an eloquent posting! I responded in my own way at http://smort.edublogs.org/
Gotta meet the kid!
Scott Morton
2
Rhonda Chamberlain
// Feb 13, 2006 at 1:38 am
Jackie,
Your response was beautifully expressed. I can see how ridiculous it is for a young child to finger paint and do a jigsaw puzzle on a computer especially when the real items are close at hand. However, when older children are faced with trying to understand a much more abstract concept such as the movement of Earth’s plates on the mantle layer or the subduction of plates to create mountains virtual reality is an excellent medium. As educators we will have to make sensible choices as to the best application of the technology.
3
Rhonda Bellamy
// Feb 18, 2006 at 5:56 pm
I can tell you have spent time thinking through the pro’s and con’s of technology uses with children, which would be way you are teaching the class (=
I am a kinesthetic learner and very much need to experience; touch, feel, do… to learn. While I enjoy an occassional educational computer game and apprecriate technology as a tool, I would much rather be doing the activity. However, I have a 12 year old daughter who would choose the computer or virtual route or activity/doing any day of the week. Balance is very much needed. My concern is that kids spend to much time w/technology (educational and non-educational purpoese)and not enought time being active. You will hear more aobut this with my paper and presentation.
rhonda b.
4
sara
// Jun 29, 2006 at 12:32 am
Jackie
I agree with your comments on technology in the classroom. Many students will need technology skills, but that is only one skill they will need. In order to best reach students, we present them with materical that is relevant to them in some way. Technolgy offers us ways to actually present it in a manner that they are familiar with. But, when these students enter the career world, they are going to be asked to do numerous tasks that involve good old pen and paper as well as face to face communication.
It is our job to have them prepared for anything and everything in this world. I certainly don’t want to rely on one source for information and communication, and I wouldn’t expect my students to do that.
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