Do Children Learn more about Using Computers - Assignment Example

Do children learn…… computers Do children learn more through using computers? A review of children’s learning process with the help of computers Samson Varghese Do children learn…… computers? 2 Analysis of learning through Computers Do children learn more through computers? The answer is simple. Yes they do. But when we go through a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the learning through computers we will come across with certain problems. A lot of questions will begin to creep up in the minds of parents and the teachers about the necessity and usage of computers. The following questions are prevalent. 1. Do the entire knowledge children getting from computers & internet are useful and in accordance with the compliance of society? 2. How much time we can allocate children for using computers? 3. How far the computer can assist a child in learning process? 4. What is computer’s role in the modernization of ancient knowledge, Concepts etc… 5. What is the role of parents and teachers in streamlining child learning through computers? Do the entire knowledge children getting from computers & internet are useful and in accordance with the compliance of society? Do children learn…… computers? 3 “Schools must provide some protection against the objectionable use of computers both to satisfy the parents that schools are safe and to ensure that valuable time is not wasted in school”. (Technology in Its Place: Successful Technology Infusion in Schools (Jossey-Bass Education Series) by John F. LeBaron, Catherine Collier). “Every action has equal but opposite reaction”. (Third law of Newton’s laws of motion).This law is applicable to computers as well. The information and knowledge available through computers and internet can be misused in several ways. We cannot divide or standardize the knowledge based on the age level. We were unable to deliver only the needful to the children. They were getting good and evil things from the same source. Obscene materials sometimes attract children more than the study materials because of the adolescent period. Adolescence is a dangerous period every child should go through. They can be attracted towards obscene materials and sexual vulgar very easily. The so called blue tooth technology will assist them in downloading the obscene materials from internet to their mobile phones and they can easily distribute them. Parents and teachers should monitor the activities of children when they are using computers, whenever possible. They should make the children aware of the fact that, if not used judiciously computers have negative impacts also. Streamlining of the computer usage in a positive manner will always help the children immensely. Curriculum should be adjusted in such a way that topics discussed in the classroom from text books should motivate children to learn more about the topic. Thus they will depend computers and net for that. They are mostly interacting with parents, teachers and their fellow students. Though parents and teachers always position them in the right path and direction, some of the fellow students may try to guide them from the right path to the wrong one. To overcome such things, a strong character should be developed by the children. For this the parents and teacher should act in the proper manner. Do children learn…… computers? 4 Proper communication between parents, students and teachers always help to avoid misunderstandings. How much time we can allocate children for using computers? The parents and teachers should ensure that computer phobia should not be developed by children. Fixed timings for the usage of computer by the children under the supervision will reduce the malpractices. Over usage of computers should be regulated. Over dependence of computers sometimes reduce the thinking ability of a child. They will search through the net instead of using their brains, thereby reducing the growth of mental faculties. "Computer games, popular entertainment with deep, inherent learning, will provide a much better model for formal education" ( The Childrens Machine: Rethinking School in the age of Computer: by Seymour Papert ) Computer games have its own importance in modern learning. So we should never discourage children completely while playing it. Instead we should give specific time schedule for that. The computer games are thought provoking. It develops certain positive aspects such as concentration, temperament, analytical & adventure skills. The old traditional games, children engaged were not up to the levels of modern computer games. The computer games like ‘Prince of Persia’, develops problem solving skills, concentration, numerical abilities etc... How far the computer can assist a child in learning process? "The internal intelligibility of computer worlds offers children the opportunity to carry out projects of greater complexity than is usually possible in the physical world." Do children learn…… computers? 5 (MINDSTORMS - by Seymour A.Papert). Recently my daughter who is studying in the 6 th standard, got a project from the geography teacher. The project was to identify the total number of rivers in our state Kerala, in India and also to identify the places through which they are flowing. She asked my help in completing that project and with the help of internet I solved that issue within 5 minutes. I could not imagine such a project in 80’s or 70’s for a student in that level. Completing a project needed a lot of skills, intelligence and hard work. Project works were usually associated with higher studies only before the 80’s. Now even the primary students working on different projects with ease using the computers. Thus the intellectual level of children getting improved immensely and sometimes we will be surprised to see the works done by certain intelligent students using computers. The lecture delivered by the teacher may not be always sufficient enough to cater the bright students. Since the intellectual levels are different for different children, the teacher always keeps an average level while teaching to cater all the students. Bright students may not get enough from such classes. Hence they can use the computer & internet to learn more about the topic. Experience and research have shown that children learn 1% through taste, 1.5% through touch, 3.5% through smell, 11% through hearing and 83% through sight. From the above data it is clear that computers can contribute to about 94% (11+83) of total child learning. Learning takes place due to insight as per ‘Gestalt theory of learning’. Computers can help children in many ways to develop insight. For example even while playing computer games; the children often come across with some puzzle. They will find out a way to overcome the mystery without any help from others mostly. In modern century all the parents keep big aspirations about their children and their future and are ready to invest much more on the education of their children for the wellbeing of them. Nobody can deny computers and internet to their children in modern era. But the success remains in how well we are managing the e-resources. What is computer’s role in the modernization of ancient knowledge, Concepts etc…? "As you work into using the computers in the classroom, you start questioning everything Do children learn…… computers? 6 you have done in the past and wonder how you can adapt it" (Teaching with Technology: Creating student-centered classrooms- by Judith Haymore Sandholtz, Cathy Ringstaff, David C. Dwyer). Professionally being a teacher, I have faced a lot of interesting experiences while teaching using computers. I did correct some of the misinterpretations in my mind about certain topics. Apart from the students, I also benefitted from the knowledge I received from the computer. The quantity and quality of knowledge I got from the computers often made me think about my days at schools and colleges. "The computer gives us an opportunity to speed up results of an action that might actually take several lifetimes to play out"( Learning By Doing- A Comprehensive guide to simulations, Computer games and pedagogy in e-learning and other educational experiences- by Clark Aldrich). Actions which were not even in our imaginations, carried out with ease nowadays using computers. The large hadrons collider experiment going on is an example. This experiment is made possible only because of the super abilities of modern computers and internet. Children are getting more than one solution for each problem now within no time. Everything they needed is just a click away. During early days proper training was required to operate a computer. Now children, who were not even 10 years old, operate it with ease without any proper training. What is the role of parents and teachers in streamlining child learning through computers? Parents and teachers should monitor the activities of children when they are using computers, whenever possible. They should make the children aware of the fact that, if not used Do children learn…… computers? 7 judiciously computers have negative impacts also. Streamlining of the computer usage in a positive manner will always help the children immensely. Curriculum should be adjusted in such a way that topics discussed in the classroom from text books should motivate children to learn more about the topic. Thus they will depend computers and net for that. They are mostly interacting with parents, teachers and their fellow students. Though parents and teachers always position them in the right path and direction, some of the fellow students may try to guide them from the right path to the wrong one. To overcome such things, a strong character should be developed by the children. For this the parents and teacher should act in the proper manner. Proper communication between parents, students and teachers always help to avoid misunderstandings. Also they should ensure that computer phobia should not be developed by children. Fixed timings for the usage of computer by the children under the supervision will reduce the malpractices. Over usage of computers should be regulated. Over dependence of computers sometimes reduce the thinking ability of a child. They will search through the net instead of using their brains, thereby reducing the growth of mental faculties. Sitting in front of the computers for longer periods can cause physical fatigue especially for eyes and back bone. Just like nuclear energy, Computers also can be useful as well as harmful. Both have constructive and destructive impacts on the society. Both are essential for modern society. The success remains in how cleverly the parents and teachers managing the children, in using the resources of computers and internet to attain positive results. Do children learn…… computers? 8 References 1. Clark Aldrich - Learning By Doing- A Comprehensive guide to simulations, Computer games and pedagogy in e-learning and other educational experiences- Publisher: Pfeiffer May 5, 2005 2. John F. LeBaron, Catherine Collier - Technology in Its Place: Successful Technology Infusion in Schools (Jossey-Bass Education Series) published in 2001 by Jossey bass inc, 350 Sansome street, Sanfrancisco, California 94104 3. Judith Haymore Sandholtz, Cathy Ringstaff, David C. Dwyer - Teaching With Technology: Creating student-centered classrooms- - Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, copy right 1997 by Teachers College, Columbia University 4. Seymour Papert - The Childrens Machine: Rethinking School in the age of Computer Publisher: Basic Books (April 28, 1994) (A member of the Perseus Books group), New York - NY 10022-5299 5 Seymour Papert - MINDSTORMS - Published in 1993 by Basic books (A member of the Perseus Books group), New York - NY 10022-5299 Read More