Homework, Googling, Young Whippersnappers and The Real World

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I'm reading The Flickering Mind: The False Promise of Technology in the Classroom and How Learning Can Saved by Todd Oppenheimer.
Oppenheimer won the 1998 National Magazine Award for his Atlantic Monthly article on this topic as well as many other awards for his investigative reporting.

His central premise is that while nearly all American schools have computers these days, some computer labs are obsolete or nearly obsolete; poor computer maintainance is more common than not; many teachers are themselves untrained in basic computer skills and unable to teach what they do not know; students in computer classes are frequently turned loose without supervision or instruction.

Some of the homework questions that are posted on A2K are undoubtedly from lazy preppy types who have been computer savvy since toddlerhood. Not all students are lazy preppy types. The poorer the school, the poorer the computer instruction.

Many students from the poorer schools have never heard of a search engine, let alone been taught how to use one.

Personally, I've resolved to be a bit more charitable to the young whippersnappers--especially the polite young whippersnappers.

If you teach a man to fish and a kid to google.....

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One of the things that I do is tutor a sixteen year old girl. She is in a vocational school that accepts kids that are not troublemakers, but have been left back at least a year.

This kid is bright, and really wants to learn. She comes from a dysfunctional family life, and really needs her self esteen to be shored up.

Most of the time she brings along work that he teacher has given her. One week, she brought a reading lesson about the internet. They have computers in her school, but her teacher will not let the kids access the internet. I asked the secretaries if we could have the use of a computer the following week.

I showed her how to "Google", and taught her about www.refdesk.com This kids eye lit up as we spoke, and she surfed. It was if a whole new world had been opened up to her. She was absolutely amazed at the things that she could find.

She does not have a computer at home, but she plans on going to the library to practice some surfing skills.

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Phoenix--

Exactly. The basics are so basic that we assume Kids of the Computer Age are Computer Literate.

Kudos for you making a large difference in one life.

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I agree with ya. The computer classes at my school are exactly as you describe them

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It's funny how you talk about young age and computer literacy. My 5 year old begs to go on the computer. I log her onto certain websites and allow her free range within those sites. You should she her move around like it was second nature to her. I cannot imagine what she will be like in a few years.

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Linkat--

Computers aren't that complicated to use--once you have the basics. Your five-year-old has access to a functioning computer and someone to demonstrate the basics.

Computers may be in the public schools--but this doesn't mean that every student has access to computers.

What a waste of potential--and money.

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My only point is how quickly children get the hang of the computer. It is really amazing how they learn to move around by themselves. Remember we are talking about children who cannot even read yet, but they are able to learn how to play new games without any direction and find what they are looking for.

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Linkat--

The Great Divide between the Haves and the Have Nots isn't money or status. It is a complex of beliefs, including:

Information and answers are available.

I have a right to information and answers.

I am a person with access to information and answers.

Computer expertise is a matter of attitude and opportunity--which your five year old has and a number of students lack.

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I think Noddy you misunderstood what I am saying. I am not talking about the have and have nots. I am mealy stating how quickly young children pick up computers and how them seem to love them. Nothing more than that.

You are really reading much more into this.

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Some schools are really terrible at teaching technology. Some teach from the "how a computer works" perspective and some teach from the "how to use a computer" side. Not many teach both. Some just use them as glorified typewriters. Blech!

But.. I seldom will answer posts that look like homework. I'll give them references to sites or a few keywords and reference them to punch them into Google (after having tried it myself of course, so that I know the results they need will come up. Wink

).

Interestingly, I work in high tech along the Rt. 128 belt here in Boston (a BIG high tech corridor) and the only things the schools seem to be interested in is having people come in and talk to the kids about what it's like to work in a high-tech type job. They have easy access to the people that design and build all this stuff but they just want them to come in and give kids pep talks.

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Linkat--

I started this thread with the announcement that I had decided to re-evaluate my attitude to teen-aged posters who wanted a leg up with their homework. I'd come across clear evidence that computer skills were not being taught in junior high and high school.

You replied with a story about your clever five year old.

I attempted to bring your comment on topic. The Haves and the Have Nots are the meat of this discussion.

You seem offended.

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Although i would largely argee with Fishin's take on dealing with those who come here for homework help, i remain largely ambivalent. Often, one needs to consider the vagueness of what has been assigned to them (or, alternatively, the imprecision with which they describe their assignment). When it comes to history, i've had sufficient anectdotal experience not to assume their teachers actually know the subject. Furthermore, they are looking for some information, a little information, or very specific information. Several thousand googles hits is going to be awfully daunting for someone who does not start with sufficient background to see the clues which occur to me when i use google. Furthermore, they are not equipped to know when the stuff they find on google is bs.

This remains a problematic issue to me.

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I'm sorry I am not offended. Believe me it takes a lot for me to feel offended. It sounded like you were offended and it sounds as if you still are. As you seemed offended I meant only to clarify what I was trying to say.

Originally, I was responding to Phoenix when she said talking about the girl she was helping and how her eyes lit up when she had the opportunity to use a computer. I was using the one example I knew personally, my daughter and extrapolating from what I hear other mothers saying about their young children loving computers and how they take to them so quickly and nothing more.

Which if you consider is the topic - the fact that children can take to computers so quickly if given the opportunity. I should have clarified in my original statement about my daughter how it related, but I thought it was obvious as my mind works faster than my fingers when typing. And as has happened in many threads, sometimes the topic expands to include other thoughts. Seeing this is an open thread, I see no harm in adding additional thoughts even if it is not exactly on topic.

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