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Fri 25 Oct, 2002 04:13 pm
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This was inspired by the Reference poll Jespah created to test code. There were many replies and votes as to which reference source would be your choice if you could only have ONE.
New technology and systems require a great deal of dependance on "other" - less "hands on" for a teacher and even less for a student. In this topic, by 'other' I mean the use of the Internet and computers in general. I don't have to know how something works to use it. I don't even WANT to know most of the time how my computer works! But, if the dang thing 'goes down', grrrrrrrr! And, at that moment I realize yet again how dependant I have become (and likely other folks too) on technology to meet our needs for communication and learning.
As a teacher, I would always want to incorporate the 'hands-on' methods as well as new technology. The easy example is: Do you let your students use calculators in, say, fifth grade math class? Another easy example is the misfortunate souls who cannot make change as a cashier unless the computerized register tells them what to pay out.
Let's go beyond the 'easy' examples and explore the importance of 'balancing' old and new in knowledge acquisition.
I'm not a teacher, but as a parent I can share two lesser examples. When my daughter was little, velcro was the 'in' means of fastening footwear. As a result, we discovered she was unable to tie shoelaces far past the age one normally would have acquired the ability.
Then there is the matter of digital clocks. Once my kids started school (where the 'old fashioned' type of clock existed in the classroom), we discovered they didn't have the foggiest idea of how to tell time.
I can only imagine the problems teachers are experiencing trying to get kids to learn the basics with the 'hands on' approach. How do you make them learn the multiplication tables if they can use a calculator????
bandylu - yes, you have the picture of what I am concerned about! When I last taught a mixed age group from K to 4, reading digital was the only way the kids wanted to use. Then I found out that most could not really tell time by using a regular clock. I also found that counting change was a problem, and most of the 10 year olds just figured they would be getting the right change. Therefore, why learn counting change? The shoe-tying experience I have also seen in preschools and in kindergarden children.
I've also noticed that many elementary age students no longer want to practice / learn manuscript! They are already aware of the speed of the computer, how to use a keyboard, and that they don't have to worry about spelling anymore, because - of course! Software often comes with the spellchecker and some do automatic correct, even.
This is a concern for all of us who have kids, what do you do? where do you draw the line?.
I think that it's important that they know the real way before they learn the quick way, then they can appreciate the difference and at the same time see where all these things in technology came from.
if you can make a game of it then you are making prgress.
teaching old and new, hmm
I have to say that WE see the balance of old and new in the way we do because that is what we have grown up with. What we know, and are familiar with is what makes us feel safe and feel knowledgeable. Our children undoubtedly will never have quite the same hoard of knowledge that we have, yet they will no doubt have new knowledge of which we never even dreamed. Remember the poetry of Kahlil Gibran about children......even as God loves the arrow which flies, so does he the bow which is stable. (from The Prophet) It is all relative. They will go far beyond places we ever could go or understand.
My son, 19, can not read script and my handwriting is pretty good. On the other hand, he is a very passive person and never really attempts to learn anything.
As a substitute teacher, I appreciated the fifth grade teacher who had a bulletin board devoted to Latin roots, illustrating how those roots became modern English, French and Spanish words.
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