When Schould Technology Be Used in Schools?

Child psychologists generally agree that children younger than two, although they are very able to use ipads and smart phones, should not.  At that age the brain is still in development.  They also believe that children should be carefully monitored and strictly limited until they enter school. 

Once children get to elementary school there is a big difference in how different people feel about children using technology.  One large group of parents and educators believes that in elementary school children should be working on their creative skills and that can be hindered by computer/calculator/cell phone use.  Some schools go as far as totally banning such use during school hours.  The other sector believes that if students use technology correctly their educational experience will be enhanced.  Still others believe like I do that young students need to be developing their creative side, need lots of opportunities for free play and should use computers in the classroom only where it will enhance the experience.  Examples would be the language teacher who uses Skype to share language and culture with students in other countries or the math teacher that allows students to use a calculator function to check their math homework after they have done it the hard way.

By the time students have reached middle school, students will need to start using computers more in the classroom, researching and writing papers, advanced math, and as we discussed earlier.  By the time students graduate they need to be very familiar with all of the kinds of programs that they will need in their careers or further education.

Virtual education also has a place as an adjunct to public schools.  Research shows, however, that it can not stand alone without much support from parents or on site teachers and even then it is iffy.  It is imperative that the provider be carefully checked out to be sure the programs are well thought out and the teachers are certified and responsive.

I support all efforts to use technology to help teachers and administrators save time.  Many are not familiar enough with software programs, however, and adequate training must be done to insure that all feel comfortable with the software and are not intimidated by it.