On Tue, 2003-10-21 at 19:14, Harry McGregor wrote: > On Tue, 2003-10-21 at 16:26, Ron Johnson wrote: > > On Tue, 2003-10-21 at 17:07, Ben Armstrong wrote: > > > On Tue, Oct 21, 2003 at 04:13:49PM -0500, Ron Johnson wrote: [snip] > > For example, if I'd had a computer when I was young, there's no > > way that I'd have read so many books, and, thus, even though my > > joystick skills would be more highly developed, my intellect and > > "world exposure" would be much diminished. > > Who says that books per say are a "good thing"? Learning, and knowledge
I do. > are. It happens that since the invention of the printing press the > preferred method of individual learning has been the book. > > Now, I would not advocate removing books from a child, but at the same > time, technology, including computers, can reduce the level of cost to > obtain the same amount of knowledge as the books. > > Take a look at any school library. Most are shrinking. This includes > the library at Corbett Elementary School (OSEF's current Linux on the > Desktop test site), and they won National School Library Media Program > of The Year in 2000 from the American Library Association. Technology > helps fill this economic gap. Curl up with a good mini-tower? > > > And why should any of that be to the exclusion of running, jumping, or > > > any > > > of the other things you mentioned? All of the children do those things > > > without any prompting at all, and we give them plenty of opportunities to > > > develop in those ways. > > > > Ok, here's another provocative question: why is it needed? Anyone > > over 40 grew up without computers, and there are lots of 40+ geeks. > > (Those of us who are 40+ can attest to this.) > > It's like saying "we did not have indoor plumbing when I was a kid". > Times change, if you don't take advantage of the resources at your > disposal, you will fall behind, quickly. Be real. The luxury of a computer is a far cry from sanitary plumb- ing, and not having to walk out in the rain or cold to "eliminate". > Now, talking with most Teachers, they are going to say that computers > are a horrible waste. There is good reason for this. Most schools do > not manage computers and technology properly, they don't foster the > ability to use the tools. Most schools spend over $5K USD per seat to > manage technology, this is far more than it should cost. Part of OSEF's > mission is to enhance education through Open Source & Free Software > tools and methodology, as well as reduce the costs of technology for > education. > > > Yes, computers are better than the TV, but the kids are going to be > > in front of them so often (young people going into the military are > > much heavier, and less in shape than they used to be) for the rest > > of their lives. So, pushing it back for a couple of years can't > > hurt them. > > I think you can better blame this in diet and exercise habits than you > can on the use of technology. And what's one of the reasons that exercise habits are so bad? TV, video games and their cousin, the computer. Stupid schools eliminating recess & PE is also boneheaded. > > > > Yes, I have 2 young children: boy aged 5.67, girl aged 4.25, and > > > > yes, I am a database administrator (after being a programmer for > > > > many years), and I've been very successful at it, while not having > > > > been exposed to computers until 12th grade. (Although I could have > > > > used WordStar to type book reports & term papers.) > > > > > > I have five children, all of whom use the computer in varying degrees, > > > and > > > all of whom discovered them early in life. I, too, have a background in > > > computers, but I came to it much earlier in life: at around age 8. I > > > don't > > > think the early exposure has warped me, but then again, maybe it has, and > > > I'm just too warped to realize it. :) > > > > > > If it were a matter of deciding whether to *push* computers on children > > > at > > > an early age or not, I would see your point. But they are such a part of > > > > Which lots of parents are doing. > > I see very few parents pushing their children to use the computer. I do > see them setting up accounts, and instructing them on how to login. You see different parents than I do. > Beyond that, usage patterns is based upon the child's desire to use the > computer. It's not form 4pm-6pm you will be learning how to use the > computer. > > > > life now that I would have to actively *shield* my children from them to > > > avoid this "exposure" that you seem to think is detrimental to their > > > development. > > > > I won't be able to shield them for long, whether I want to or not.... > > > > When they turn 6-7, it will be interesting to teach them Python > > if they are interested. > > The major goals we have at Corbett with the Kinder and 1st grade > students is to learn that technology is a tool, and is accessible. > Basic mouse and keyboard input, as well as simple educational games > (TuxPaint, and Gcompris for example). The students get on average 45 > minutes/week in the computer lab. > > > > I'm not willing to do that, nor do I really see the point. > > > So > > > long as everything is kept in proper balance (just as I wouldn't feed > > > your > > > 2-year-old a diet of junk food, neither do I plunk the kids in front of > > > the > > > computer for hours at a time) using computers at an early age can be a > > > fun > > > and constructive part of their growing up, without taking away from all > > > of > > > the other more classically "kid" things that kids do. > > > > But, as I said before, when they're in front of the computer, they > > aren't doing "the other things". > > Kids can multitask far better than adults IMHO. > > Harry > > > > -- > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > Ron Johnson, Jr. [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Jefferson, LA USA > > > > "I have been assured by a very knowing American of my > > acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is > > at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, > > whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt > > that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout." > > A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR PREVENTING THE CHILDREN OF POOR PEOPLE IN > > IRELAND FROM BEING A BURDEN TO THEIR PARENTS OR COUNTRY > > -- > Harry McGregor, CEO, Co-Founder > [EMAIL PROTECTED], (520) 661-7875 (CELL) > Open Source Education Foundation, http://www.osef.org > A non-profit tax exempt charitable organization -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ron Johnson, Jr. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jefferson, LA USA "Millions of Chinese speak Chinese, and it's not hereditary..." Dr. Dean Edell
