Who should never have been using computers in the first place. There's really no point. Using gmail and gdocs doesn't teach anything of value. A lot of the other software is pricey and sometimes even detrimental to the school result.
In general Just because you had a clear purpose for and interest in computers doesn’t mean it’s gonna be the same for other kids
This has already been done (in many cases, 15+ years ago) at most American grade schools -- touch-typing and computer skills instruction now starts only 1 or 2 years after handwriting instruction. This means it is introduced in 2nd or 3rd grade. (Most essay-writing remains on paper until 6th grade, though)
> Who should never have been using electricity in the first place. There's really no point. Using power tools and washing machines doesn't teach anything of value. A lot of the other appliances are pricey and sometimes even detrimental to the school result.
That in itself is a useful skill, but I don't recommend it as a coping mechanism to avoid physical pain.
Don't get me wrong, I do think it's bad that writing things by hand is becoming more and more rare all the time. In particular, handwritten letters and notes have an extra bit of "personal touch" to them that can make them very valuable to the recipient.
However, from the time I was in High School to today I would never want to be required to write a paper, well, strictly on paper (from the beginning). I want all of that ability to quickly edit at my fingertips.
I can save off any number of possibilities and compare them side by side.
Also, none of this prevents me from spending 30 minutes beforehand thinking about what I am about to write. Although, I will admit, even if I do that I am likely to have at least a text editor open to jot down a few notes as I think about it.
I do agree, however, that the up-front thinking is a very good idea.
You appear to be violently agreeing with me that there is a point to giving kids computers to use gdocs.
Perhaps to make sure that poor kids can never learn it or what is your logic behind this?
Computers and screens are introduced too early. The kids just use them to zone out and mess around.
The kids all forget their passwords, so login is a pain. To solve this the school made the same password for all. Some brat sets all the girls avatars to boobs. The various ways kids look up porn is a continual frustration.
It doesn’t add to the learning, it makes lazy teachers lives easier. Some classes play Minecraft - I’m unclear how that’s teaching. Some use iPads to take creative photos. It’s not creative and is a waste of time and lazy.
Computers have a place in schools, and it’s with older kids than 8-9 and needs to be way more prescriptive when used with <10 year olds.
Edit: Probably relevant, my wife and I went to a Steiner school, as does our kid. That system has a pretty old fashioned view on screen time and devices - as I started typing this our child stated that metal work and leather work lessons were starting soon.
There are definitely ways to teach within Minecraft. Redstone springs to mind, but I imagine there are others.
I really wish Google would make fingerprint sensors standard for Chromebooks.
As far as Gummy bears are involved, my read of the Cisco Talos Threat Intelligence group report*, vs the competency and resources available to 13-year olds (who are not to be underestimated, tbc), is that the gummy bear trick no longer works.
That familiarity builds over years to give you a half decent mental model for a computer - one that is a massive aid to college freshman learning CS.
Perhaps screens are being introduced too early, certainly there is a point where a game like minecraft is not teaching, but I wouldn't dismiss the concept outright. Familiarity with computers is why some kids soar through CS degrees and others feel like they were missing some secret pre-college class.
That said, I’m in New Zealand, which was quite highly vaccinated and also mandated vaccinations for teachers.
I rate the system for getting kids to want to learn - not just at school, after finishing schooling too.
Pls try not to support something like this :(
One counter point is that I learnt how to touch type at that age at school, admittedly on an Apple II which limited most of the problems you listed. It has been a handy skill to have.
I like the idea of kids robotics with Scratch. I want to believe that there is an opportunity with children to experience the excitement of blinking an Led with a microbit for example and suspect it would be more difficult for teenagers.
Mostly I want my kids to have an understanding of what computers can be used to create earlier than later.
Is... is this comment in good faith? Are you sure about that, bud? Parents and teachers shouldn't be using computers in the first place?
What a concerning and confusing view of the world.