Can Students Have Too Much Tech?

Can Students Have Too Much Tech?

1.  The computer is the “distraction machine.” It is just vibrating with distractions. Even the supposedly educational websites have things that move, different colors, links, and so forth. Keeping my kids focused on their lessons requires constant supervision. Most of the time spent at the computer is recreational.
2. I think the content tends to be superficial, possibly because making the underlying mechanics work detracts from actually creating content. A lot of the software that I saw in the early 80’s was glorified flash cards, and I’m not sure it’s much better today. I’d estimate kids spend twice the time on half the content.
3. The bright side is, I think there’s some tech, that is qualitatively different than a textbook. It tends to resemble “real” software that grown-ups use, such as programming tools, computer algebra systems, and so forth. Schools rarely use this stuff.

— analog31