Troubling News
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/business/11digi.html?emc=eta1
This article summarizes recent research regarding the educational effects of having home computers. According to their findings (that were obtained through 'widely varying' routes), test scores of those who own home computers in developing nations drop. Evidently, children spend more time playing games that are fun than using these computers for homework. The research does not appear to come from any particular countries where our 8-bit computers are sold, so I wonder if they are aware of these things. It is difficult to believe that the computers we are attempting to optimize have no educational benefit whatsoever. And the research suggests that there is little parental guidance or supervision in the use of these computers (whichever model it may be). However, there is a difference between saying something isn't being used the correct way (this is without supervision) and saying something has no value. I associate value with things such as worth and/or potential, which the computer certainly has plenty of educational potential. It seems as though the New York Times simply doesn't like using these computers for educational purposes as they published a similar article regarding the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Their discussion seems to be critical and skeptical of the project. It's almost as if they don't think we should be trying to work with these computers. In any case, I leave you to decide what the article means, but it seems the research simply isn't accurate at all levels.
This article summarizes recent research regarding the educational effects of having home computers. According to their findings (that were obtained through 'widely varying' routes), test scores of those who own home computers in developing nations drop. Evidently, children spend more time playing games that are fun than using these computers for homework. The research does not appear to come from any particular countries where our 8-bit computers are sold, so I wonder if they are aware of these things. It is difficult to believe that the computers we are attempting to optimize have no educational benefit whatsoever. And the research suggests that there is little parental guidance or supervision in the use of these computers (whichever model it may be). However, there is a difference between saying something isn't being used the correct way (this is without supervision) and saying something has no value. I associate value with things such as worth and/or potential, which the computer certainly has plenty of educational potential. It seems as though the New York Times simply doesn't like using these computers for educational purposes as they published a similar article regarding the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Their discussion seems to be critical and skeptical of the project. It's almost as if they don't think we should be trying to work with these computers. In any case, I leave you to decide what the article means, but it seems the research simply isn't accurate at all levels.
Views: 2
Comment
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Comment by Harrison Lee on July 15, 2010 at 6:36am -
Thank goodness for Oregon Trail on the iPod and iPhone.
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Comment by James Derek Lomas on July 14, 2010 at 11:03pm
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Just found this: a *must* read paper!
Computer Games in the Developing World: The Value of Non-Instrument...
So good...
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Comment by Harrison Lee on July 14, 2010 at 4:56am
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Hmmm. The first article is very interesting because it tries to point out that neither the positive effects nor the negative effects really outweighs the other whereas the Times article really hammers home the negative points. Maybe the writer for the Times just doesn't like educational games like the Oregon Trail! (who couldn't like the Oregon Trail? :P)
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Here's the actual article. It's a good read.
Parental involvement is almost guaranteed when the computer is used on the home television set.
And of course, the computers weren't preloaded with any educational content.
This is another article that is worth looking at...
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Comment by Jesse Fuchs on July 13, 2010 at 8:42am -
It seems like if anything, this lends credence to Playpower's approach; with the $10 computer and its inability to access the Internet, the problem is that kids have far too few entertaining options, not far too many. So if we can make those entertaining options have educational value, then, well, FTW.
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Comment by Harrison Lee on July 13, 2010 at 6:52am
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I saw that too. Isn't using a computer a pretty darn important skill???!!
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Comment by Sebastien Van Damme on July 13, 2010 at 6:47am -
This is what I found when reading this article:
"The principal positive effect on the students was improved computer skills."
"When devising ways to beat school policing software, students showed an exemplary capacity for self-directed learning."
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