The Role of Technology in the Classroom

Dr. Perry's thoughts on how technology is a dual-edged sword for both teacher/parents and student/children.  Through pointed questions, he gets to the heart of the matter:  technology that engages children (such as computers) is something that has a learning benefit, while passive technology (such as television) is something that should be avoided.  Television not only is a passive technology, but time spent watching it could be better utilized involved with other developmental experiences.

He also believes that there is a time and a place for different types of learning, and that what might be appropriate for a teenager might not be appropriate for a toddler or a young child.  Part of this comes from what content is involved, and whether or not it is age appropriate, but also it comes down to if an action is appropriate for an older child.  As he noted, it would not be proper for a 14 year old to miss an afternoon of school to be at home being coddled and rocked (though I would argue that in certain extreme situations, this may be called for, regardless of the age of the child.)

The major theme that he hit on is that children need to be actively engaged in the way that best suits them at their personal level for learning.  Videos, computers, games, and even cards all can play a role in a child's development if they are utilized at the proper time and with care.  The key is for their to be interaction and to allow a child's natural curiosity help steer her/his ability to learn.

My thoughts on the subject weren't overwhelmingly changed by what Dr. Perry presented, because a lot of what he says feels intuitive.  Anyone who has had the opportunity to watch young children knows that they want to learn as much as they can from whatever source will best provide it for them.  With regard to television, I know that most times when I watch, I feel more lethargic than active, so I am not surprised at all with his conclusion that it is a more passive technology that is not necessarily suited for younger children to learn from.

First Time Blogger

I am looking forward to sharing thoughts and opinions in this space at a later time, but for now, it's just getting started.