Joshua Heath

Tina thanks for a very thoughtful message. I have been reading the thread
about computers and wondering a lot about the ups and the downs of their
infuluence on our children. I know my 7 yo son **loves** them and it can
get a little obsessive and litterally take over his imagintion for periods
of time. What disturbs me is the loss of other imaginative activities (real
activities as opposed to elecronic simulations... ) (now i am going to get
it)
We had resorted to imposing time limits.... recently we have decided this
restriction may have been making things worse... and so at a family meeting
we arrived at the idea of allowing constructive activities any time, and
allowing games for a half hour per 2 computer hours logged on "constuctive"
activities.
But I still share your concerns about the losses inherent in encouraging
computer literacy. I agree as well the only thing to do is strive for a
balance and be sure to prestent lots of alternative opportunites to use
"real" materials.
Joshua
> From: Tina Pearson <ebus89@...>
>
> computers, computers... thoughts
>
> We are relatively new to the world of computers and world wiiiiiiide
> web. I noticed in my own first forays, which were in using the word
> processor and a little networking, that my thought process was decidedly
> different when I wrote on the computer than when I wrote with a pen. My
> fingers, although not rapid like a pro's are fairly fast because of
> piano playing, so the words can actually slip out faster than what my
> brain is accustomed to in my pen writing. I found this both exciting
> and disconcerting. I noticed that sometimes it was just a little too
> easy to type a lot of words without my usual contemplation, again which
> could be either good or bad, I suppose.
>
> I like words. I started to think that perhaps the possibility of a glut
> of meaningless words might actually obscure any truth there might be in
> my communicating. I've read some thoughtful writings from literary
> figures who are wary of this same thing. Many writers do their work in
> long hand and then edit on the computer. One well-respected and
> seasoned fiction writer recently said that he could tell within the
> first few paragraphs if a book was actually created on the computer or
> written by hand, and has yet to be proven wrong. He bemoans this new
> ability we now have to spew out many words very fast, and the resulting
> proliferation of not-very-well-written books.
> I have been thinking also about highschool teachers who only accept
> assignments completed on computer word processing, graphics and other
> programs. When I heard about this and thought about it, I came to the
> conclusion that I would probably do the opposite -- I would want to see
> the physical manifestation, in all its awkwardness and/or flowing
> beauty, of a student's thought process and creativity as written with a
> pen or pencil, with drawings and lines on a piece of paper. But maybe
> I'm just old ...
> Yes, computers are a part of this reality now, and they are a
> powerful tool. I am wondering, though, about creativity and all those
> zillions of little spaces and thoughts and ideas that don't fit into
> the paradigm of one program of another. I know my daughter can be
> creative with MSPaint, and I've had fun with it too, but the creativity
> is within extremely limited parameters. Is it okay for a child to type
> e-mail messages and stories on the computer if she doesn't want to learn
> to write with a pen? I don't know. I know that we have spent less
> time smelling tempura, getting our hands all mucky with clay, smearing
> oil pastels and making our creative picture letters for friends and
> family. So I worry that forms of communicating and thinking and working
> through things that don't lend themselves to digital electronics may be
> used less and less. Not a good thought. But reveals the need for a
> balance.
>
> I guess I am trying to be careful about this world of computers, while
> at the same time appreciating the access it has given me to information
> and worlds I otherwise wouldn't know about, etc. I am hoping that the
> computer world will evolve through the input of the most brilliantly
> creative minds around -- probably unschoolers, who value diversity,
> autonomy, process, and all the rest ...
>
> Tina in cyberlimbo.
>
>
>
>
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