The Computer Delusion

The core of the issue discussed in "The Computer Delusion" is that of balance. As a society we seem to go from one extreme to the other without thinking about the importance of balance. Yes, we are in an age where technology offers endless possibilities and kids need to know how to use it in order to function successfully. However, this does not mean that we should embrace technology at the exclusion of other important topics in schools. Why not incorporate technology in topics such as the arts and history? With all the tools available on computers this is completely plausible. Computers should be used to enhance educational concepts that exist outside of the technological realm. As educators we need to find a gray area that allows this to happen rather than choosing between the black and white. We also need to revisit how we use technology in our classes. Yes, technology can enhance many lessons and assignments but that does not mean that we have to use it for everything in our classrooms. Sometimes it is more effective to use more traditional methods and that should be perfectly acceptable. Additionally, students should not be stuck in front of a computer all day long to the point of complaining of sore eyes and wrist pain, as mentioned in the article. Just because technology is cutting edge does not mean students should be isolated from other resources. If we only use technology and computers in our classes then students will lose out many other kinds of knowledge that students of the past acquired. The goal is to produce students that know what students of old knew and more and this will not be accomplished by forcing students to use only one resource in their learning. The key here is balance. We must recognize that we have an incredible resource in computers and technology that continues to offer new capabilities. However, we must also remember what other methods in education are effective outside of technology and find ways to combine the two for an optimum educational experience for our students.