Welcome to my blog on education. I am an aspiring teacher still in the process of learning a lot. Here is a collection of some of my thoughts as well as information I have found and used for some of my classes.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Computers in the Classroom


I thought our discussion this week would fit very well in with my blog. We were discussing the use of computers and technology in the early childhood classroom. All the assumptions that we make that is is all just dandy and all for the betterment of the students when really we have to be careful and take a step back and look at the risks as well.

The article we looked at from Alliance for Childhood gave this list of risks.

Physical Hazards
• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Visual strain and myopia
• Obesity and other complications of a sedentary lifestyle
• Possible side effects from toxic emissions and electromagnetic radiation
Emotional and Social Hazards
• Social isolation
• Weakened bonds with teachers
• Lack of self-discipline and self-motivation
• Emotional detachment from community
• Commercial exploitation
Intellectual Hazards
• Lack of creativity
• Stunted imaginations
• Impoverished language and literacy skills
• Poor concentration, attention deficits
• Too little patience for the hard work of learning
• Plagiarism
• Distraction from meaning
Moral Hazards
• Exposure to online violence, pornography, bigotry, and other inappropriate material
• Emphasis on information devoid of ethical and moral context
• Lack of purpose and irresponsibility in seeking and applying knowledge

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