School Notebook: kids' take on technology

Earlier this school year, Newsday invited students in kindergarten through 12th grade to share their thoughts on their favorite classroom use of technology and to compare technology's effectiveness as a way of learning with traditional textbooks and lessons.

Here are some of their responses:

Ruchi Shah, 12th grade,

Sachem High School North, Lake Ronkonkoma

"I distinctly remember watching the holiday treats cool and reaching for the aromatic cookies as my mother said: 'Enjoy the cookies, but remember -- everything in moderation!' This idea of moderation and balance directly describes my feelings toward technology.

"The use of technology in the classroom introduces a new level of experiential learning, whether it is video-chatting with students from China to better understand their culture or using a Smart Board to interact with verb conjugation. Experiences such as these are possible due to the influx of new technology in the classroom, which has facilitated improved understanding.

"However, some of my most vivid moments of learning did not occur with technology; rather, they were through debate and conversation with teachers and students. Regardless of the caliber of experiences created by technology, there is no substitute for learning to converse with others, a skill only learned through direct human interaction. In this way, the traditional classroom experience is beneficial because it allows for the development of interpersonal skills and analytical thinking. Thus, I strongly believe that the best option for teaching is a traditional classroom experience bolstered by new experiences created by technology."

Justin McArdle, fifth grade, Dogwood Elementary School, Smithtown

"I think technology is a more effective way of learning than traditional textbooks or lessons, because when kids hear the word 'technology' they get excited. Kids tend not to be excited about learning, but if they can do their work on computers, iPads and other devices, they might be a little more eager to learn. When I have a thought or question about something, my immediate reaction is to search it on Google. My parents say that this is an easier and better way. When they were my age, they would have to wait until they had time to go to the library, which took days."

Joseph Piche, 11th grade, Eastport-South Manor

Junior-Senior High School,

Manorville

"The Smart Board has revolutionized the classroom, making learning today a truly interactive experience. This touch-screen device allows a teacher to integrate different media such as PowerPoint, YouTube and movies during a single class, making lessons more interesting and compelling.

"I am currently taking a course titled Government and Genocide that is a perfect example of how this technology brings life into the classroom. We recently watched 'Black Hawk Down,' a film that depicted genocide in Somalia. My teacher then gave a PowerPoint presentation about the country and integrated photos of the genocide there taken in 1991. These stark visual images brought the concept of genocide to life in a way that never could have happened had we only been exposed to a textbook."

Michael Stevens,

seventh grade,

East Islip Middle School

"I think the teachers are more important than technology. On one website called My Skills Tutor, you could finish all of your assignments, but when you check your work and save it, it deletes about half of your data. So you have to do the problems over and over. I think the problem with technology is that it is replacing teachers instead of working with teachers. Teachers have fewer mistakes than technology. Teachers are more efficient than technology because technology teaches subjects, and teachers teach kids."

Denise Dezendorf,

sixth grade,

Dawnwood Middle School, Centereach

"The best technology I have used as a learning tool involved using computers and Skype for an 'e-mission.' This project had us try to save the island of Montserrat from a volcano and a hurricane at the same time. There were four teams. The hurricane team tracked where the hurricane was going and what category it was. The volcano team predicted when the volcano would erupt. The evacuation team evacuated each city that would be harmed and put them into another city without overflowing the population of that city.

"The communication team spoke to NASA through Skype, and instant messaging and told them the progress of each team while collecting information for the other teams. Each student learned the duties of each team and worked together to save Montserrat."

Karyse Gocoul,

seventh grade,

Portledge School,

Locust Valley

"At my school, laptops and Smart Boards are used on a regular basis.

"I believe that it is very educational to have technology being used in an everyday classroom, and I am pro the use of technology in classrooms.

"By using technology in classrooms, you are learning in more than one way, and you are open to more information.

"When you use merely a textbook as an educational material, you are limited to only information that is recorded in the textbook as opposed to other facts that are in another media such as the Internet.

"You may use a Smart Board to access the Internet, use Microsoft Word and other applications, which allow the entire class to view the information as a group. The Smart Board allows you to access other vital details that are not in the textbook.

"It is necessary to receive information from various sites instead of just one source: the textbook. This is why I am con the use of only textbooks as an educational tool, and I am pro the use of technology in classrooms."