“(It) is destined to revolu- tionize our educational system and ... in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks.” That sounds like predictions about the impact of computers in the classroom. But the year was 1922, the speaker was Thomas Edison, and the subject was motion pictures. Indeed, the glitz of technology has mesmerized many. A survey by school administrators found that parents ranked computer literacy more valuable than honesty, citi- zenship, biology, geography, classic literature or athletics. A similar survey of teachers ranked computer skills as more “essential” than European history, biology, chem- istry and physics But in the rush to log on, parents might be wise to take a deep breath and examine whether the results have equaled the promise -- and what the side effects on our children might be. Education psychologist Jane Healey, a former principal and author of Failure to Connect: How ComputersAffect Our Children’s Minds arguesthat the increased use of technology has powerful developmental trade-offs for very young children. “Too much electronic stimula- tion can become addictive,” she says, “replacing important experi- ences during critical periods of development: physical explo- ration, imaginative play, language, socialization and quiet time for developing attention and inner motivation.” Child development experts believe that hands-on learning for very young children (K-3) is most valuable when it imprints knowl- edge deeply on a young child’s brain by providing lessons of experience through several senses. Healy suggests that too-early use of computers exacerbates the effects of television, in which fast-paced visual stimuli change how brains are wired, limiting their attention spans and, in turn, hampering their ability to learn through reading or listening. Even older children, for whom technology can make difficult concepts (such as certain physics concepts) more comprehensible, can find themselves seduced by the ease with which papers can be made to look snappy, and many teachers report that increasing numbers of students are writing research papers by combining ideas without exploring the relationships between them -- a job made easier by “cut and paste” functions of word processors and the wealth of infor- mation available on the Internet. There is also the question of results. Although studies have repeatedly shown that use of computers have a positive effect with learning disabled children, Harold Wenglinsky of the Educational Testing Service has found that standardized test scores for 4th and 8th grade students using computers at least once a week were worse than for students using computers less frequently. The sole exception were 8th graders who used technology towork out complex problems -- but most teachers didn’t offer such assignments. Not surprising: According to the CEO Forum on Education and Technology, less than 5% of schools effectively integrate tech- nology into their curriculum, with the result that computers have become all-too-often electronic “break time” in the classroom. So what should parents look for to maximize the positive aspects of technology? For very young students, avoid a push to early use of computers which might limit their emotional and intellectual base. Or use it to “fill in the gaps”, such as the use of phonics software to supplement teachers who were never taught how to teach phonics. For older students, ensure that your school integrates technology into the curriculum by allowing classes to plunge into a variety of real-life hands-on experiences: tracking bird migrations and posting them on the web, using e–mail to fulfill assignments on what it would take to build an industrial plant overseas, or directing a simulated three-month expedition through the jungles of Central America – all of which have been done in the classroom. And in all cases, first things first: Make certain that good curriculum and excellent teaching drives technology – not the other way around. Keeping Technology in Perspectivethat will help children not just recognize and know the good, but love it? The mandate of schools, above all else, is to educate indi- viduals who think well, seek knowledge, and love the truth. Intellectual virtues, such as carefulness, accuracy, persever- ance in the face of obstacles, courage in attempting novel solu- tions are largely derivative of the moral virtues. When your child takes care to write a paragraph or accurately carry out a science project, they are demonstrating virtues. Teaching and recognizing these virtues is what a good character education program is all about. The best character education programs do not take valu- able time “away from school.” They make school better. They do not spend endless hours “discussing virtue.” They inspire and live it. Quality character education reinforces the dispositions and habits that advance scholarship and help students aspire to excellence in all things. That’s a pretty powerful prescription for the 21st century.Mary Beth Klee, Ph.D. is an educational consultant and the author of Core Virtues: A Literature-Based Program in CharacterEducation published by Link
Institute (www.linkinstitute.org).CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3CHARACTER EDUCATION: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR SCHOOL
