ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

Sorry, I couldn't even watch the clip throughout without stopping to write about the the huge fish tank on the floor behind the child. Not exactly a safe environment from where I see it. It kind of loses any credibility for for teaching anybody else anything, in my opinion.

I applaud this writer's effort to drive the point home that children need to be "allowed" to explore, to draw conclusions, and to make inferences about the world around them by accessing their own individual resources and manipulating their environment. She calls this learning and by definition it is.

I also feel that it is important to note that beeping sounds and flashing lights have their place in the broad spectrum of learning dimensions. For example, when a parents applauds a child's efforts or shrieks "yay" when a baby takes his or her first steps, some might argue that this provides a feedback similar to beeping sounds and flashing lights (from a behaviorist perspective). Different children learn different ways, and most children learn most ways. Clearly there is learning taking place when a child presses buttons to spell cat, and successfully transfers that information over to mom or dad later that evening. I would argue that the bells and whistles has more to do with the child learning the word cat, than just seeing the three letters spelled out on the screen.

Let's be careful about providing a tunnel visioned approach to learning. Technology is not going anywhere.....we need to leverage it (intelligently, responsibly, and open-mindedly) in an effort to provide personally meaningful learning opportunities for our children.

In the time of IT High-Tech-Toys are needed

great video!