“For the Sake of Technology”

1. “For the Sake of Technology” Chris Flavin Shelley Boyd Michelle Hart

2. The age of technology… • Children are growing up in an age of technology. • They are being bombarded.

3. We have a national infatuation with computers. • Are we diverting resources from children’s real needs? • Are schools influenced by the profit margins of high tech industries?

4. Decisions based on fear • Adults fear their own ability to keep up the the pace of technology. • Who says we have to begin tech training at the elementary level, when the machines they are working on will be obsolete by the time they enter the job market?

5. Is it too much? • Are children exposed to too much technology at an early age? • How does it effect their development? • How does it effect their achievement? • Is the place for technology the elementary schools?

6. Treating young children like small scholars and overwhelming them with electronic stimuli, that outstrips their sensory, emotional and intellectual maturity may actually be a form of deprivation.

7. A healthy child’s later development is rooted in rich childhood experience

8. Literacy is inspired and reinforced by a genuine emotional rapport between the young child and loving caregiver.

9. Creative play is the “work” that exercises and expands the imagination

10. Technology for “technology’s sake” • Rather that using technology for technology’s sake, educators, practitioners and policy makers need to clearly determine the educational goals of students. • Open a national dialogue with further research on how technology can or cannot improve teaching and learning in the elementary setting.

11. A better evaluation of effectiveness of technology and learning in comparison to other strategies that might more effectively increase student performance and learning per dollars spent.

12. Research technology’s impact on student learning • More research needed on the impact computers could have on the developing minds and bodies of young children at the primary level. • Examine concerns that computers are taking kids from other activities that are good for their personal development • Primary education is a logical progression that requires hands on teaching and interactive learning.

13. Comparison of dollars spent • In an effort to help schools across the U.S. reduce class size, during the 2000-01 school year, President Clinton authorized funding for 1.4 billion dollars a year for 7 years • Supplying the more that 82,000 schools in the U.S. with 50 personal computer systems would cost conservatively an estimated 8 billion dollars

14. Substantial research studies confirmed that class size reduction: • Leads to higher student achievement in all subjects, reading, math and science • Strengthens accountability and turning around low performing schools • Better identifies specials needs students

15. Improves behavior • Reduces retention rate • Benefits teachers too

16. …Dr. Jane M. Healy, educational psychologist and author of “Failure to Connect” • “We have buildings that are falling apart, inadequately trained teachers, inadequate numbers of teachers and “for the sake of technology,” schools have cut reading and math specialists, art, music, physical education, all things that we have clear evidence that prepare kids for the real world.”