A reader passes on this very informative article about the success, or lack thereof, of technology in the classroom. Read the whole thing, as they say. There are some highlights:
These lackluster findings were consistent with middle school test results obtained after Maine gave laptops to every seventh and eighth grader in the state. Two years and $34 million dollars later, math scores improved slightly, while writing, reading, and science either dropped or didn't change. A University of Chicago study of the Internet's effect on California classrooms similarly found "no evidence" that Internet access had "any measurable effect on student achievement."
The problem isn't merely that we're wasting millions on excessive heaps of technology without any detectable academic benefit. A recent University of Munich study of 175,000 students in 31 countries concluded that students who use computers at school several times a week actually perform "sizably and statistically worse" as a result. Instead of furthering learning, computers appear more often to distract students from it, while simultaneously crowding out "traditional learning methods."
The last couple days I have been trying to find the appropriate gift for a friend's daughter who turns four tomorrow. It is amazing how hard it is to find games that teach basic reading/writing skills that don't involve noise and flashing lights. I mean, don't they make alphabet blocks anymore? I settled for alphabet, phonics, and colors flash cards. And can someone please explain what sicko buys this for a little girl?
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