As far as i am in favor of utilizing modern technology and replacing outdated ways in almost any field, i must say school is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, i'm far from implementation of as extreme way as Waldorf schools follow. In my opinion it is important to educate kids to know how to survive without access to technology but we should not encapsulate them in a bubble with no tech at all.
Computers are just tools and as it was said in the article: nowadays they "make technology as brain-dead easy to use as possible", so there shouldn't be any problem to learn kids how to use it, when they will need it. The real challenge is to learn children to focus on what they need to do and to help them to develop their creativity. And you don't need computers or other gadgets for that. In my opinion children should learn how to write as well as grammar and definetly using a computer doesn't help with that.
My parents for example are finished theirs education process without a single touch of PC or other tech stuff used nowadays. Now they earning money working on computers, using smartphones and printing files wirelessly. :) I can't say that they are technologically withdrawn. Of course it have another side of the coin. Let's say that I'm not the best at programming. Why? Because I started my coding way to late. Now it's way more hard to catch up with skills of my programming experienced friends. But these kids from article are prepared to work hard and I think that they can learn technologies from a scratch without any problems.
Yes, I agree with Maciek. Older generations past whole education without computer and now they easily cooperating with modern technology. Also on the other side early contact witch computer gives more benefits. The same like in sport. Only The most hardworking from first moment of life gets high scores. On the end, human should be carefully and try not to get lost in wirtual reality
As a person who loves to learn (and share) new things and concepts, I can easily identify myself with one of the quotes from the article, ie.: “Technology is a distraction when we need literacy, numeracy and critical thinking.” While I think article is highly biased towards being against using technology (or maybe gadgets/computers per se) in classroom, I pretty much agree with its conclusion (and why Waldorf is praised in it) - school should teach cooperation, thinking out-of-the-box, solving problems. Shame that similar shift in education approach is just beginning in Poland. I wish my classes would be more focused on team problem-solving - something I needed to learn throughout my career so far. As a programmer with few years of work experience, I can tell how valuable is that. For those interested in similar models in education (but technology agnostic) I would recommend reading on Denmark's education system, in article like this: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/08/the-us-empathy-gap/494975/
When I was a kid my parents every day told me this sentence - "You are all day sitting in the front of computer". I tried to listen to them. That's why I became a computer programmer :) Now I read that some school decided to give up computers. I think it is an interesting approach, but only in elementary school. It is well known that in the secondary school we need a computer to learn. But I know there are also programming schools for children. So we have here a coincidence. Who knows what will come out of this? :)
I think both approaches have pros and cons. Leaving technology out of the school probably would be beneficial in primary school when children are learning the most basic skills like simple literacy and numeracy. I can't tell how technology can improve that. I would say even secondary school doesn't have to include a lot of technology in classes. Secondary school provides first IT lessons and I think it's enough to increase quantity of IT lessosn rather than forcing technology to other lessons. On the other hand, technology in high school is a must be. It's more than certain everyone use technology in their everyday afterwards. It doesn't matter if you use it in university or job or for personal purposes. High school s the best time to learn it.
I agree with Marek. Children should develop your imagination. New technology can be good partner with learning many skills., but often this devices teach many bad habits. In my opinion children in elementary school should not use excessive electronics. This kills creativity. However, limiting access to devices for teenagers is bad idea. Teenagers often usage this for school purposes. In my opinion parents should discuss about dangerous situations in web, addiction etc.
I disagree with Waldorf's approach. Extremes are never good, so they should adapt their "century old" teaching system to changing times. Is knitting teaching us to solve problems? I strongly doubt it, it is better to give such a person broken windows to fix. In my opinion, working on a computer develops our ability to solve problems. Having contact with various IT system users, I am sometimes shocked when they are unable to perform basic operations. I think it's due to the fact that they have not had contact with technology from the very beginning of their education
“You can look back and see how sloppy your handwriting was in first grade. You can’t do that with computers ’cause all the letters are the same,” Finn said. “Besides, if you learn to write on paper, you can still write if water spills on the computer or the power goes out.” I think it’s a best part of this article! It’s no so long but it’s so true! It’s great! I’ve learnt on paper sheet till today. For me it so natural to grab a pencil a make notes during my lectures or languages lesson. It’s no so hard to make some painting besides me notes! Making such things on computer it’s no so fun! I can’t enjoy it. It’s important to ave opportunity to learn in schools like Waldorf School, especially nowadays. Great to see natural way of learning still exists no matter how computers are important in out life. I’m agree we must do a lot of IT stuff in schools, but in reasonable proportions. There is some exciting thing beyond the digital world. Now it’s hard to see kids playing football in backyard. That’s ridiculous!
I also think extremes arent good. Kids should have access to stuff we havent. Of course it should be given to them wisely. Still today I remember backpack full of books. Now I am writing on the machine so thin its not even funny. For us its hard to imagine school with all the technology because besides university you can only grab pencil.
Maciej P wrote about his parents being schooled without computers - but hadn’t we all been schooled in an old-school way during long gone VHS era? IT classes in high school don’t really count - learning how to use Word or Power Point can hardly be called ‚computing’. Nowadays however, all millennials use smartphones and laptops effortlessly - as well as our parents’ generation. We ourselves are the best example that schooling without PCs brings no harm, but at the very same time we crave for technology. Best programmists and 3D designers come from Asia where smartphone-culture and high technology accompanies man from the earliest stages of life. On the other hand, you can’t deny serious problems linked to technology development - like computer addictions and the proceeding disappearance of human relations skills. Excessive dosage of technology can be dangerous, too.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs far as i am in favor of utilizing modern technology and replacing outdated ways in almost any field, i must say school is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, i'm far from implementation of as extreme way as Waldorf schools follow. In my opinion it is important to educate kids to know how to survive without access to technology but we should not encapsulate them in a bubble with no tech at all.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteComputers are just tools and as it was said in the article: nowadays they "make technology as brain-dead easy to use as possible", so there shouldn't be any problem to learn kids how to use it, when they will need it. The real challenge is to learn children to focus on what they need to do and to help them to develop their creativity. And you don't need computers or other gadgets for that. In my opinion children should learn how to write as well as grammar and definetly using a computer doesn't help with that.
ReplyDeleteMy parents for example are finished theirs education process without a single touch of PC or other tech stuff used nowadays. Now they earning money working on computers, using smartphones and printing files wirelessly. :) I can't say that they are technologically withdrawn. Of course it have another side of the coin. Let's say that I'm not the best at programming. Why? Because I started my coding way to late. Now it's way more hard to catch up with skills of my programming experienced friends. But these kids from article are prepared to work hard and I think that they can learn technologies from a scratch without any problems.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with Maciek. Older generations past whole education without computer and now they easily cooperating with modern technology. Also on the other side early contact witch computer gives more benefits. The same like in sport. Only The most hardworking from first moment of life gets high scores.
DeleteOn the end, human should be carefully and try not to get lost in wirtual reality
As a person who loves to learn (and share) new things and concepts, I can easily identify myself with one of the quotes from the article, ie.: “Technology is a distraction when we need literacy, numeracy and critical thinking.”
ReplyDeleteWhile I think article is highly biased towards being against using technology (or maybe gadgets/computers per se) in classroom, I pretty much agree with its conclusion (and why Waldorf is praised in it) - school should teach cooperation, thinking out-of-the-box, solving problems.
Shame that similar shift in education approach is just beginning in Poland. I wish my classes would be more focused on team problem-solving - something I needed to learn throughout my career so far.
As a programmer with few years of work experience, I can tell how valuable is that.
For those interested in similar models in education (but technology agnostic) I would recommend reading on Denmark's education system, in article like this:
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/08/the-us-empathy-gap/494975/
When I was a kid my parents every day told me this sentence - "You are all day sitting in the front of computer". I tried to listen to them. That's why I became a computer programmer :)
ReplyDeleteNow I read that some school decided to give up computers. I think it is an interesting approach, but only in elementary school. It is well known that in the secondary school we need a computer to learn.
But I know there are also programming schools for children. So we have here a coincidence. Who knows what will come out of this? :)
I think both approaches have pros and cons.
ReplyDeleteLeaving technology out of the school probably would be beneficial in primary school when children are learning the most basic skills like simple literacy and numeracy. I can't tell how technology can improve that.
I would say even secondary school doesn't have to include a lot of technology in classes. Secondary school provides first IT lessons and I think it's enough to increase quantity of IT lessosn rather than forcing technology to other lessons.
On the other hand, technology in high school is a must be. It's more than certain everyone use technology in their everyday afterwards. It doesn't matter if you use it in university or job or for personal purposes. High school s the best time to learn it.
I agree with Marek. Children should develop your imagination. New technology can be good partner with learning many skills., but often this devices teach many bad habits. In my opinion children in elementary school should not use excessive electronics. This kills creativity. However, limiting access to devices for teenagers is bad idea. Teenagers often usage this for school purposes. In my opinion parents should discuss about dangerous situations in web, addiction etc.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Waldorf's approach. Extremes are never good, so they should adapt their "century old" teaching system to changing times. Is knitting teaching us to solve problems? I strongly doubt it, it is better to give such a person broken windows to fix. In my opinion, working on a computer develops our ability to solve problems. Having contact with various IT system users, I am sometimes shocked when they are unable to perform basic operations. I think it's due to the fact that they have not had contact with technology from the very beginning of their education
ReplyDelete“You can look back and see how sloppy your handwriting was in first grade. You can’t do that with computers ’cause all the letters are the same,” Finn said. “Besides, if you learn to write on paper, you can still write if water spills on the computer or the power goes out.” I think it’s a best part of this article! It’s no so long but it’s so true! It’s great! I’ve learnt on paper sheet till today. For me it so natural to grab a pencil a make notes during my lectures or languages lesson. It’s no so hard to make some painting besides me notes! Making such things on computer it’s no so fun! I can’t enjoy it. It’s important to ave opportunity to learn in schools like Waldorf School, especially nowadays. Great to see natural way of learning still exists no matter how computers are important in out life. I’m agree we must do a lot of IT stuff in schools, but in reasonable proportions. There is some exciting thing beyond the digital world. Now it’s hard to see kids playing football in backyard. That’s ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteI also think extremes arent good. Kids should have access to stuff we havent.
ReplyDeleteOf course it should be given to them wisely. Still today I remember backpack
full of books. Now I am writing on the machine so thin its not even funny.
For us its hard to imagine school with all the technology because besides university
you can only grab pencil.
Maciej P wrote about his parents being schooled without computers - but hadn’t we all been schooled in an old-school way during long gone VHS era? IT classes in high school don’t really count - learning how to use Word or Power Point can hardly be called ‚computing’. Nowadays however, all millennials use smartphones and laptops effortlessly - as well as our parents’ generation. We ourselves are the best example that schooling without PCs brings no harm, but at the very same time we crave for technology.
ReplyDeleteBest programmists and 3D designers come from Asia where smartphone-culture and high technology accompanies man from the earliest stages of life. On the other hand, you can’t deny serious problems linked to technology development - like computer addictions and the proceeding disappearance of human relations skills. Excessive dosage of technology can be dangerous, too.