I’m generally inclined to consider computer technology a danger, at least as far as children are concerned. This position, of course, has been reinforced by doctors and psychologists. Doctors, because computers and the like make for sedentary, and thus unhealthy, children. Psychologists, because children need to engage in creative play with other children so that they can thrive socially and emotionally.
The other day I realized that I’ve been so focused on how computers threaten the development of our kids that I’ve given short shrift to the remarkable asset they can be, at least when used judiciously. Case in point: Eleven was practicing the clarinet. From the other room, I could tell that he was bored by his songbook. He was hurrying, being sloppy, and generally just trying to get through it instead of enjoying it. I frowned, thinking, What a shame, because he really does love music.
“Eleven,” I called, “come here for a minute, would you?”
He obliged. I asked, “Do you know what jazz is?”
He nodded. “It’s like when you put in a lot of extra notes, like this…” He picked up his clarinet and proceeded to play quickly, notes spilling out everywhere but with little relation to one another, or to the whole.
“That’s part of it,” I encouraged, “but it’s much more than that. Here. I’ll give you an example.”
I turned to my computer and brought up YouTube. As I did, I asked Eleven if he had ever heard of Benny Goodman.
“I think so,” he mused. “He plays clarinet too, right?”
“He did,” I said, “a long time ago. Listen to this.” And I started a video clip of Goodman and his band, accompanied by Peggy Lee, in the 1943 film Stage Door Canteen:
Eleven was enthralled. And, a few clips later, as he returned to his clarinet practice, his renewed interest in the instrument clearly audible, I sat still, dumbfounded by how quickly and easily I’d been able to show my son a piece of a film made sixty-five years ago.
For perhaps the first time, I realized just how lucky our children are to be living in this day and age. There are many reasons to believe that things were better back then, to be sure. But as long as it’s exercised wisely, I cannot call the rise of technology one of them.
How do you feel about the use of technology in education?
Photo graciously provided by Kevin Steele, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved
18 responses so far ↓
Nan // Nov 19, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Slouching Mom, this topic has been given much thought around here. WE DON’T EVEN HAVE A TV!!! We have had a laptop computer for years and many great DVDs , and last Christmas Santa brought a super dooper computer! My youngest son is now 7, so they really had a long time without much media.
We have found that for music, Youtube is fantastic. You can look up lessons for many instruments, and get a real dude showing you how to play the difficult bits. Just search the name of the piece, the instrument and “lesson” and you’ll see!
defiantmuse // Nov 19, 2008 at 4:10 pm
This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently so it’s still a bit jumbled in my head. On the one hand it scares the crap out of me. On the other? I realize how beneficial it can be. The problem is that it’s so easy to use sometimes I wonder if it’s detrimental? Meaning that it brings us further away from a physical learning environment and pushes us more into w world where everything is more of a concept you’re using your intellect instead of your hands to understand. If that makes any sense. It may not necessarily be a bad thing, it’s just different and I’m not sure how I feel about the change and advances in ways to learn. I always straddle the line between wanting to go back to living in a jungle hut with no electricity and learning to embrace the positives that come from modern technology.
Mary Gilmour // Nov 19, 2008 at 4:10 pm
My second daughter drove me crazy as a child because she would not/could not spell. She uses a spellchecker now and gets rave reviews for her writing.
Just one example. Yes, I think technology has a big place in education. Internet research, learning to word process, use a spread sheet, graphics, all that. What it should not be is a babysitter. And some elements, like the gaming, can be addictive and need to be carefully watched if the kid has any access.
The wired world is where we are heading and it would be poor education if the kids don’t learn to use it to advantag.e
Painted Maypole // Nov 19, 2008 at 4:23 pm
i love to use it to look things up, like when MQ was fascinated by our hummingbirds we learned lots of stuff about them, very quickly!
Hetha // Nov 19, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I think technology learning is s a critical piece for success for this generation and the key to it working is using a team approach in the schools wherein the teachers are invested in the goals and outcomes as well.
I see the access to technology as one way to allow children from different schools to be on a more level playing field. As a technology teacher, I saw it dramatically improve their self-esteem as my students gained more and more of an understanding of the way systems and devices work. My kids would set up printers, scanners, and cameras all over the building and teach our staff on their use. They would research topics and create their own movies using Imovie. It brought the curriculum to life in a way that would be nearly impossible to replicate in any other medium. (LOVE this topic!)
conversemomma // Nov 19, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I actually work in a school district where students are issued a take home laptop from 6th grade on. I can tell you that technology can and does improve learning. My students are learning to critically read the world, to engage appropriately with the global community the internet offers up, and getting ahead with programs that are used in buisness today. Still, the technology is only as good as the teacher whose hands you put it in. And, there must be safeguards in place.
Great discussion!
STL Mom // Nov 19, 2008 at 6:35 pm
The internet has been a great tool for me as a parent. With adult supervision, my kids have been able to do lots of fun and educational things. I’m a little concerned about the future, when they will access the computer on their own.
I have a friend with older children, and they keep their computers in public rooms of the house. They are also on a switch that turns them off at 9:00 p.m. sharp, so kids can’t sneak on after the adults are asleep. Pretty soon I’ll need to find out how they set that up.
Janet // Nov 19, 2008 at 9:36 pm
We don’t have TV either, but we like to watch things like that on YouTube. Yesterday Philip in Canada posted about Alys Robi, and we watched a YouTube clip of her. It was a radio show where she sang, and the video was just a bunch of pictures of her. But the Queen was fascinated. She has some actual workbooks but also computer games that helping her learn to spell. I think the combination is working well. (Well, and us spelling things for her - she’s learning how to sound words out to get the letters - it’s very exciting.)
I remember being in Eleven’s shoes as a piano student. I hated the music that was assigned to me. I much preferred to learn stuff like “Bridge Over Troubled Water” or “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” than whatever John W. Schaum had dreamed up.
Heather // Nov 19, 2008 at 10:16 pm
My kids were asking me how grapes grew and I was trying to explain a vine. We were out somewhere, but I told them to remind me when we got home and we’d look up photos on the computer. It was great to be able to show them.
Angeline // Nov 20, 2008 at 3:31 am
Woah! Way to go Mommy! That is what I call parenting…, ‘cos most mommies I know of would just yell, “hey boy, show more interest please?!”
I did use ‘technology’ to ’show’ a ‘hidden’ fact to my boys too (even did a blog post on it). I video-ed the first 30seconds of their cartoon using my digital camera. They saw the image ‘dancing’ with lines rolling upwards… after showing them, I asked if they felt giddy, ‘cos I sure did, they nodded. Then I went, “See?! That’s why we say ’staying too long in front of the TV damages your eyes.’ your eyes can’t see this, but its there….”
guess what? it WORKED!!! they do spend less time in front of that square box, after that day.
Slouching Mom // Nov 20, 2008 at 9:51 am
Thank you all for your thoughts. This is fascinating to me.
Here’s something interesting: Eleven writes better (noticeably) when he uses a word processor than when he puts pencil to paper.
vodkamom // Nov 20, 2008 at 11:06 am
oh yeah. You rock.
woman in a window // Nov 20, 2008 at 11:54 am
I’m really excited by this. (See what a nerd I am?) I am generally anti-technology. I think people have taken the “need” to technology in day to day life to a whole new level of bonkers! But what we can expose our kids to when we choose, if as you say, we use it as a tool, it might carry us further than the wheel!
Now I’m gonna go up and watch that clip. Love almost all things old.
crazymumma // Nov 20, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Used wisely I think it is a wonderful tool.
The End of Motherhood? // Nov 20, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Oh you are making me miss the days when my Middle played clarinet and loved Benny Goodman. All technology all the time? Of course you don’t want that. But technology judiciously used - for education and for fun? What a waste to NOT use it!
Jessica Bern // Nov 21, 2008 at 12:47 am
I think it is amazing. I would definitely encourage my daughter to use it for all its benefits but I would have a lot of parental controls on there in case she gets bored and decides to “drift”.
Blooming Desertpea // Nov 21, 2008 at 6:44 am
Like you said, if it’s used wisely it is indeed a blessing. Our kids use it as a library mostly and if I imagine how it was in my time where research in books would sometimes lead into dead ends … but that’s only one aspect of it. My daughter was able to relive a part of her childhood she had spent in Australia by looking up TV programs she used to watch 10 yrs ago.
Summing it up I would argue that there are more advantages than disadvantages with technology.
mizmell // Nov 22, 2008 at 6:55 am
I had both daughters using the computer (a MAC) by the age of three. Good for you for appreciating technology for what it was intended.
BTW: JB is the ultimate YouTube junkie at our house–just for the music clips.
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