Article written by Claire Stroebel.
As we approach the start of semester two, the conversation about technology in the classroom is broached once again. There is much to be said for the use of laptops and their ilk in our children's education, and not all of it good. We don't think much of its impact on our own lives, but when it comes to the next generation, many would see them fall behind instead of rising to the top. I can't tell if this is some kind of jealousy or not, but it smells like some kind of childish game of keep away.
At the moment, government bodies are talking about banning phones during class time altogether, and their lack of understanding could not be more evident. It's not about using Snapchat during a lesson, it's about how kids communicate and about how fast technology is progressing. Without a sound technology knowledge base, kids can be left behind, both in terms of education and general well-being. More and more children are having access to better and better tech even in the home, and even in lower income families. Why shouldn't their education include the basics, at least?
Every generation complains about the next generation's advancements, but honestly, if our grandparents had had access to the kind of hardware we do, they would have wanted to use it too. Education is a lot about evolving. We rarely teach home economics anymore, because society's mindset is changing on what we're teaching young women and men. Sometimes what they learn at school is better than what they learn at home, it's kind of the point. Education changes with the times because, otherwise, it would be useless. Sure, we don't use some of the things we learn in school – and it's always an argument when a high school student starts picking their final subjects – but we still need to learn those things, if only to make us more understanding human beings.
I'm not one for suggesting that every child has a phone on their desk. I know that when I took my cassette player to school, I hid it in my blazer with the earbuds coming through my sleeve. Obviously, kids hide these sorts of things because they know that they're not supposed to have them. What I suggest is that it's up to the school, and that lawmakers should think about the ridiculousness of their statements that oppose that idea. Technology is more accessible than ever and it's silly to think that we can keep the next generation from it, or even to shield them from it. Even in the adult world this is impossible, and yet policy makers have yet to notice. Do they not realise just how much they rely on technology? How are our children meant to survive as we approach the singularity at light speed if we deny them something even we rely on?
There needs to be an appropriate level of use, as dictated by the school. Every school has its strengths and its failings, but what is consistent across the board is that access to better and better technology is much easier than it was even just five years ago. Cheap tablets, the Nokia 3310 making a comeback; even households living on a Centrelink income are able to gain access to portable technology with the world's information at their fingertips. Schools without the funding to provide a certain level of technology should think about introducing policies which take into account personal devices. Because if the government can't be bothered making it easier for the kids, unfortunately we're going to have to ask the kids to step up.
I don't think that it would be difficult to ask a thirteen-year-old to bring their smart phone to class. But hear me out. It's not about them being able to take pictures and listen to music. It's about having access. Smart phones are not the ideal device, but in a pinch, it's certainly better than no access at all. The Internet is rife with misinformation and cyber bullying, but if proper use is taught in our classrooms, perhaps we can enable the next generation of thinkers to use the Internet wisely. Because if we can't teach them to be better than us, what's the point of having them in school? Where's the merit in this conversation? It confuses me. People want children to be smart, but not smarter than them. That's not progress, it's regression.
Students don't need to just be literate, however they need to be fluent. And the difference is that one is being able to turn the computer on and use it, the latter is being able to achieve their own goals with it, and know that it will do so effectively. They need to know that we will support them, too. Because if all we're going to do as adults is try and prevent kids from using their devices, all they're going to want to do is use them, and not for the purposes they should be using them for. If you've ever tried to tell a child not to do something fun but ultimately not good for them, you'll understand what I mean. And you can't expect them to ignore something that we use all the time for cat videos and pointless memes, it's completely hypocritical.
Obviously, it's not as simple as allowing them to just bring their devices to class, but there has to be some discussion about appropriate applications in the classroom, and that's just not happening right now.
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