In Today's Technological Society, is the Push Towards a "Wired" Educational Environment Hindering Students' Ability and Opportunity to Acquire Needed Basic Skills in the Classroom?

Essay by meeslocoUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, September 2003

download word file, 13 pages 4.2

Thesis

Education and raising the educational standards in public schools has always been a prominent topic in government, and a major concern among most American citizens. This is due largely in part to the direct correlation between the present quality of education for students and the future level of technological advancement, economic growth, and quality of life for the entire country. Many believe that the best way to invest in the country is to invest in its youth.

However, just as there is overwhelming support for educational improvement, there is a great difference in opinion when it comes to the best way in which to achieve this goal. Due to the continuing advancement in technology, and in turn the movement of all aspects of society towards a more high-tech way of life, some feel that classrooms and education need to be in the fast lane of the information super highway as well.

Conversely, there is also a growing concern that incorporating too much technology too quickly may in fact be a detriment to students' education and detract from the basics, the fundamental building blocks of any education.

This paper will examine the affects of different levels of technological inclusions in the classroom and determine what level forms the best educational balance for students.

Introduction

When determining how something like the implementation of computers will affect such a complicated system as education, all factors must be taken into consideration. Just because computers might be considered an overall asset to society does not mean that their inclusion in classroom will not have adverse affects. Most everyone has heard the phase "too much of a good thing".

The purpose of this paper is to present all views on each aspect of technological inclusion in the classroom. Elements that will be discussed in the...