Technology in our youth?

Do you ever say to yourself "man, I miss those days when we were kids and we would ride our bikes, play with action figures/barbie dolls, play hide and go seek or tag, or recess on the playground"?  These days may not be the same for our future generation.  Who knows? maybe the next gen would say something more along the lines of "man I miss those days when we were kids and we would get on the computer and not have to work as much or really talk to each other."  Yeah it is a scary thought.

Of course that may be an exaggeration but I truly believe that as much as we use technology it can be as much as a curse as a gift.  Should we really be bringing in technology to younger students some institutes that are thinking pre-school and elementary?  Outside of the classroom will those younger students focus their time in solitude on the computer alone at home?  Is our culture heading in that direction?

I wouldn't like to think so but I do think that the idea of that kind of future happening is possible unless we really are cautious now.  I know I would like my someday-in-the-far-future-kid to say they had an awesome childhood full of play and having fun with friends.  I know that is what I had.

I believe technology being used in the class room should be considered like a treat given once in a blue moon.  Just like a movie day!  If you told a younger class "hey its movie day!" They all get excited!  What if we could do the same with technology day!  Technology should not be a daily thing.  I only say this directed towards elementary and lower students.  They will have the rest of their lives to become technologically advanced why does it have to start now?  We shouldn't be bringing the younger kids to our world but more like we should be getting back to the place where they are.  What I mean by this is the imagination side.  The creative side that doesn't involve a word document or an excel spreadsheet.  The joy in life.

The way I see it is as simple as this.

The younger the student the less use of technology, therefore more interaction and true hands on learning.
The older the student the more use of technology, therefore not as much needed interaction and mastery from hands on learning.

Isn't that how most college courses kind of are? at least at the University of Cincinnati.  It now seems like there is almost no interaction and all technology.  Which I definitely disagree with, there should always be interaction and constructive learning in any classroom.

These younger students are learning a life skill that we are always learning and that we older students are taking for granted today.  Learning how to communicate and associate with people.  Today we mostly do so with words whether it is through text message or email.  Don't take the innocence form the kids.  I only really exaggerate this now because isn't it how it always happens?  We simply think "Oh it's not doing any harm"  when we shrug it off more and more and then it can grow more and more to no return almost.

I would like to offer a balance that as long as there is interaction between the students as well as the use of technology then that would be great!  Things that include using a smart board or any other bigger touch screen device that all the students can participate in.  Drawing and coloring on paper and sharing can be the same almost as coloring and drawing on an iPad application.  Yes the mediums can change but not the methods and learning process.

Simply let the students learn from what life has to offer and each other, not from an electronic device.  Don't take the 'magic' from technology take from the true magic you have to offer as a teacher or better yet a person to inspire someone's life.  We as people inspire with passion, not machines.

An Idea among millions,

Ryhutch