Laptops in Education

In Friday's NY Times, they had an article on the introduction of laptop computers into school classrooms. It's interesting because it discusses the fact that many schools are now giving up the programs they started, even while many other schools are still developing their programs. You may recall that I have issues with the over-focus of American schools on test scores. I don't think they do much good for students, and they are playing a key role in the dumbing-down of American children (I think).

Well, I look at the laptop issue in a similar fashion. There are those who think that cutting edge is always best, and that technology can cure all problems, so long as it is used properly. I personally applaud the schools for getting rid of the computers. I think they do more harm than good. Often, people claim that poorer schools are somehow technologically deficient and that explains the disparities in test scores, when in reality it isn't a technological problem. It is a social problem. Studies are now showing that students in the laptop programs don't do any better on tests.

In fact, it looks like students are becoming complacent, using the computers for recreational purposes, and even taking advantage of the laptops to cheat in school. Laptops are useless in helping students learn how to read or write well. Technological savvy should not be a goal. It should be a tool, and putting it above learning how to think does our children a disservice.

I am particularly disturbed by the conclusions of one researcher who, after concluding that the computers did not affect test scores, argued the following:

“Where laptops and Internet use make a difference are in innovation, creativity, autonomy and independent research,” he said. “If the goal is to get kids up to basic standard levels, then maybe laptops are not the tool. But if the goal is to create the George Lucas and Steve Jobs of the future, then laptops are extremely useful.”

Frankly, I don't buy it. Creativity can be taught just as well with a pencil and paper as with a laptop. There are larger problems at work, and the following quote from the article summarizes my feelings on the matter (especially since I teach history):

In the school library, an 11th-grade history class was working on research papers. Many carried laptops in their hands or in backpacks even as their teacher, Tom McCarthy, encouraged them not to overlook books, newspapers and academic journals.

“The art of thinking is being lost,” he said. “Because people can type in a word and find a source and think that’s the be all end all.”

My students recently submitted a term paper for an advanced college-level history course, and I found that many of them were reluctant to actually go to the library to find books. They thought (wrongly) that everything they needed was on the Internet. Because of this attitude, a number of them did quite poorly on the paper, because they misunderstood fundamental issues.

Now that I've written this, I need to clarify that I am not against teaching technology. I use my computer for much of what I do. However, it is only a tool. There are things for which it is quite unsuited. Even when I do find relevant articles online (many academic journals now publish online, through subscription services like JStor), I usually print them up to read and to mark up. The computer is just a tool for finding them.

I do think that schools should conduct computer classes (we had to take a typing class), and classes should have access to computers for relevant projects, but they really need to focus on what is most important. That should be teaching our children to think. Unfortunately, they're so set on test scores and technology that many seem to have lost track of that.

I wish I had something pithy to say at the end of this post, but I don't. Oh well. At least I got through it without saying "puke." (oops, there it is.)