Mark Bauerlein stands for the no side, and Linda Jackson and her colleagues try to prove yes. Linda Jackson argues the side to the issue. Her article is titled “Does Home internet use Influence the Academic Performance, of Low-Income Children?”, Although she was trying to prove that people are better informed I found it odd that she would being by stating that her “findings were inconclusive” although this may be true to know that as the first thing she informs me as she tries to pursue me to believe her I must say it does the opposite. I start to think well if she doesn’t even know her point then why should I take her word for it. Even with that mishap she manages to state some good points, “the benefits of computer-based instruction are clearer for mathematics and science that they are for other subjects” she continues to state that “positive effects are more likely to emerge when technology is used to support the four fundamentals of learning; active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connections to real-world contexts” I think that she in incorporating something that most people already know which if you give someone the tools to learn they are more likely to succeed. The argument continues to state that, “Having a home computer has been associated with higher test scores in reading” this would be a good thing if it weren’t followed by a statement stating that the survey could not be positive on this since they couldn’t monitor what was used on the computer. This makes me think that they haven’t proven anything, the students that have access to a computer and tools could be cheating while using the computer, the ones that are not using a computer could not really be doing worse just because of the factor of not having a computer. This entire argument to me is more about the possibility that the internet could potentially have some kind of effect however unknown what kind. It has not proven much, having a computer is associated with higher scores and “higher GPAs” but how can they be one hundred percent sure that this is true that having internet or not truly impacts a student’s education for better or worse. They assume that the ones that don’t have a computer are doing poorly because of this factor but don’t truly measure in other factors that could result with failure or success.
Mark Bauerlein, covers the no side. His article is titled, “The dumbest generation: how the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future” This article I thought proved more what the side they were representing was with facts unlike the first one that left me confused. The article states that, “young adults have absorbed digital tools into their daily lives like no other age group, grown up with more knowledge and information readily at hand, taken more classes, built their own web sites, enjoyed more libraries, bookstores, and museums” the quote continues to state, “the world has provided them extraordinary chances to gain knowledge and improve their reading/writing skills, offering financial incentives to do so, young Americans today are no more learned or skillful than their predecessors, no more knowledge, up-to-date, or inquisitive except in materials of youth culture. They don’t know any more history or civics, economics or science, literature or current events; they read less on their own both books and newspapers” the rant goes on to say “ Fewer books are checked out of the library and more videos. More kids go to the mall and fewer to the museum. Lunchroom conversations never drift into ideology but web photos pass nonstop from handheld to handheld”. I have some negative aspects to say about both sides and some positives too to begin the first article had no evidence to back anything they were saying so really didn’t mean anything, however they stated that their was a possibility that students with access to a computer and certain tools could do better in school, I agree with this, I think that technology has allowed us to move forward in the sense that it makes studying, getting access to information and people faster which in the end can help with your grades and knowledge. The second article I liked that it stated how we have information available immediately making it easier to advance in the technology world and with homework. I disagree when it states that we go less to libraries, museums and bookstores, I think that if students had the time now to go to these places more they would, I think many students go to the libraries especially in universities since they are booked with homework, just because when we go we don’t enjoy it due to other priorities like class does not mean we lack the interest to go to these places. I have to disagree with the last quote since just like they are quick to state that we know less or careless about subjects like history and the news does not make it so. There are young people that lack knowledge on certain items but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t care. If students now had the time to do those things I think they would, these surveys are not to old but they have to think that students are worked to the max during school hours and when time comes to relax they don’t think of going to a museum to learn more no they think I want to rest, sleep, turn on the tv and listen to noise. We are placed into this never ending cycle of wanting to but never having a chance to, and when we don’t we are condemned for not doing so. The section states that many students use the internet for fun and not to learn when I personally have seen so many doing work and stressing of deadlines which makes me wonder where these students are with so much free time to lounge. There is no time to lounge so to condemn us for not picking educational alternatives for our down time when we don’t even have down time is contradictory
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