It seems as though the internet is making my generation dumb. So I've heard. I guess in that case, I may not be smarter than a 5th grader in some cases. What?!? I beg to differ.
I think that the internet has many advantages and helps to spread knowledge. Look at Wikipedia. I personally don't think that the internet discourages my generation from being avid readers. The internet is a good way to get easy access to information. Is there anything wrong with that? We can't always go to an encyclopedia.
Remember Encarta? I had that Microsoft encyclopedia books in the 6th grade at my home. But what about those who can't readily afford to buy books? The internet is far more accessible for many, than books are.
And what about getting information from an online community? Well, there are people who learn best from others. They may not be a trusted source, but I can go and look up the information afterward. This doesn't discourage me from reading for myself! When I read information on the internet, my mind doesn't turn off its ability to be critical.
A clear advantage of the internet is that we get information quickly. For example, I would have had to wait at least 6 months for a new edition of Encarta to include an article of President Obama. BUT Wikipedia had this the same day. I say that this reduces the quality of the information because Encarta would have had more thoroughly researched information. But Wikipedia's continual updating and the availability of other online sources can make up for this gap.
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14 years ago
Agree completely. The onus is on the educators to ensure that students use the information in a responsible way and understand not just the strengths but also the limitations. That is how students will really start to excel in school--when teachers challenge them using the latest tools.
ReplyDeleteYeah bloecher, the internet itself is not the determining factor in "making us stupid." It's how we use it that will determine that. I agree that best practices for using the internet (to obtain quality information) should be taught in academic settings. When I was in high school we were drilled on best practices for obtaining information from a library. Similarly, kids growing up today should be drilled on best practices for the internet.
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