Thursday, April 2, 2009

Cell Phone Jamming and Education

Article

Now that I got rid of the ad that nobody was clicking, I can let my juices flow again.

Today is education day for me. The kid is off all day because of the Ontario Grade 10 literacy test. Now, I think this is stupid, but in the general context of education, it is not the most stupid thing. Certainly, you don't want the little kiddies texting during this test: "how u spl graff?"

Now, one of my popular articles is about education. This latest story fits in with that, as well as my blackberry article. Obviously, the extreme to this, is to cut off all modern communication in the classroom, a throwback to the educational ideals of the Victorian era.

Now, I remember in my classes, when the teacher droned on and on in the front, we had several options. We could fall asleep, but that was dangerous, since some teachers were good with the throwing chalk! We could prop up the text book, and read another book behind (only for the smart ones!). We could write studious notes (naah!). Or we could doodle and daydream (my favourite!).

Now, we add electronics - texting and game playing. Does this not tell us something? Are the opaque education systems, and opaque unions doing something good? My opinion is that this shows the technical rot that is so endemic in our institutions. But the bright students survive, and maybe this makes no difference to our society.

4 comments:

Harold Asmis said...

Further comments. People ask me, how do I predict the future (actually, they don't). I say I just look at the fundamental forces and project them in time. The end result of this is the statement: "Improving technology threatens our opacity, and internal power structures. We will fight this."

This has gone on since the beginning of time (or as long as I can remember, which isn't long). Rather Soviet. They just puff and puff and eventually the whole thing blows up.

Harbles said...

The thought that occurs to me is that rather than fight the technology why not find a way to use it as an aide to teaching.
Make them live blog the class and grade them on the notes.
Use more interactive computer teaching rather than have the teacher drone on.
Score for most original or thorough use of the internet as a research tool. etc etc
Back in the dark ages when I went to school it was a real treat to have a film strip or even a movie! There must be a vast supply of far better produced educational material available now.

Harold Asmis said...

That would be the point of my articles. But I don't see this coming any time soon.

Silver Fox said...

I preferred the doodling, along with scattered notes that I could then doodle over. I think really creative doodling may portend a life as a geologist.

I think your point about using current technology is a very good one.