Although innovations such as video, computers, and the Internet seem to offer schools improved methods for instructing students, these technologies all too often distract from real learning

Essay topics:

Although innovations such as video, computers, and the Internet seem to offer schools improved methods for instructing students, these technologies all too often distract from real learning

The speaker asserts that innovations such as videos, computers, and the Internet too often distract from "real" learning in the classroom. I strongly agree that these tools can be counterproductive in some instances, and ineffectual for certain types of learning. Nevertheless, the speaker's assertion places too little value on the ways in which these innovations can facilitate the learning process.

In several respects, I find the statement compelling. First of all, in my observation and experience, computers and videos are misused most often for education when teachers rely on them as surrogates, or baby-sitters. Teachers must use the time during which students are watching videos or are at their computer stations productively--helping other students,
preparing lesson plans, and so forth. Otherwise, these tools can indeed impede the learning process.

Secondly, passive viewing of videos or of Web pages is no indication that any significant learning is taking place. Thus teachers must carefully select Internet resources that provide a true interactive learning experience, or are highly informative otherwise. And, in selecting videos teachers must be sure to follow up with lively class discussions. Otherwise, the comparatively passive nature of these media can render them ineffectual in the learning process.

Thirdly, some types of learning occur best during face-to-face encounters between teacher and student, and between students. Only by way of a live encounter can a language teacher recognize and immediately correct subtle problems in pronunciation and inflection. And, there is no suitable substitute for a live encounter when it comes to teaching techniques in painting, sculpture, music performance, and acting. Moreover, certain types of learning are facilitated when students interact as a group. Many grade school teachers, for example, find that reading together aloud is the most effective way for students to learn this skill.

Fourth, with technology-based learning tools, especially computers and the Internet, learning how to use the technology can rob the teacher of valuable time that could be spent accomplishing the teacher's ultimate educational objectives. Besides, any technology-based learning tool carries the risk of technical problems. Students whose teachers fail to plan for
productive use of unexpected down-time can lose opportunities for real learning.

Finally, we must not overlook the non-quantifiable benefit that personal attention can afford. A human teacher can provide meaningful personal encouragement and support, and can identify and help to solve a student's social or psychological problems that might be impeding the learning process. No video, computer program, or Web site can begin to serve these
invaluable functions.

Acknowledging the many ways that technological innovations can impede "real" learning, these innovations nevertheless can facilitate "real" learning, if employed judicially and for appropriate purposes. Specifically, when it comes to learning rote facts and figures, personal interaction with a teacher is unnecessary, and can even result in fatigue and burnout for the teacher. Computers are an ideal tool for the sorts of learning that occur only through repetition--typing skills, basic arithmetical calculations, and so forth. Computers also make possible visual effects that aid uniquely in the learning of spatial concepts. Finally, computers, videos and the Internet are ideal for imparting basic text-book information to students, thereby freeing up the teacher's time to give students individualized attention.

In sum, computers and videos can indeed distract from learning--when teachers misuse them as substitutes for personal attention, or when the technology itself becomes the focus of attention. Nevertheless, if judicially used as primers, as supplements, and where repetition and rote learning are appropriate, these tools can serve to liberate teachers to focus on individual needs of students--needs that only "real" teachers can recognize and meet.

Votes
Average: 7.5 (1 vote)
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Essay Categories

Comments

Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 293, Rule ID: POSSESIVE_APOSTROPHE[1]
Message: Possible typo: apostrophe is missing. Did you mean 'speakers'' or 'speaker's'?
Suggestion: speakers'; speaker's
...in types of learning. Nevertheless, the speakers assertion places too little value on th...
^^^^^^^^
Line 6, column 117, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Thus,
...y significant learning is taking place. Thus teachers must carefully select Internet...
^^^^
Line 8, column 33, Rule ID: AFFORD_VB[1]
Message: This verb is used with the infinitive: 'to occur'
Suggestion: to occur
...ess. Thirdly, some types of learning occur best during face-to-face encounters bet...
^^^^^
Line 10, column 277, Rule ID: AFFORD_VB[1]
Message: This verb is used with the infinitive: 'to tool'
Suggestion: to tool
... Besides, any technology-based learning tool carries the risk of technical problems....
^^^^
Line 13, column 326, Rule ID: WEB_SITE[1]
Message: Did you mean 'website'?
Suggestion: Website
...process. No video, computer program, or Web site can begin to serve these invaluable fu...
^^^^^^^^

Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, besides, finally, first, if, look, moreover, nevertheless, second, secondly, so, third, thirdly, thus, for example, such as, first of all

Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments

Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 17.0 19.5258426966 87% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 23.0 12.4196629213 185% => OK
Conjunction : 31.0 14.8657303371 209% => Less conjunction wanted
Relative clauses : 22.0 11.3162921348 194% => OK
Pronoun: 31.0 33.0505617978 94% => OK
Preposition: 59.0 58.6224719101 101% => OK
Nominalization: 19.0 12.9106741573 147% => OK

Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3531.0 2235.4752809 158% => OK
No of words: 595.0 442.535393258 134% => OK
Chars per words: 5.93445378151 5.05705443957 117% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.93888872473 4.55969084622 108% => OK
Word Length SD: 3.39303381698 2.79657885939 121% => OK
Unique words: 299.0 215.323595506 139% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.502521008403 0.4932671777 102% => OK
syllable_count: 1074.6 704.065955056 153% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.8 1.59117977528 113% => OK

A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 6.0 6.24550561798 96% => OK
Article: 4.0 4.99550561798 80% => OK
Subordination: 4.0 3.10617977528 129% => OK
Conjunction: 13.0 1.77640449438 732% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 5.0 4.38483146067 114% => OK

Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 29.0 20.2370786517 143% => OK
Sentence length: 20.0 23.0359550562 87% => OK
Sentence length SD: 50.9302290227 60.3974514979 84% => OK
Chars per sentence: 121.75862069 118.986275619 102% => OK
Words per sentence: 20.5172413793 23.4991977007 87% => OK
Discourse Markers: 4.93103448276 5.21951772744 94% => OK
Paragraphs: 11.0 4.97078651685 221% => Less paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 5.0 7.80617977528 64% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 13.0 10.2758426966 127% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 10.0 5.13820224719 195% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 6.0 4.83258426966 124% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?

Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.237174284282 0.243740707755 97% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0698569342036 0.0831039109588 84% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0569610446091 0.0758088955206 75% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.101007822252 0.150359130593 67% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0639627230038 0.0667264976115 96% => OK

Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 16.8 14.1392134831 119% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 34.26 48.8420337079 70% => OK
smog_index: 11.2 7.92365168539 141% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 13.5 12.1743820225 111% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 17.11 12.1639044944 141% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 9.22 8.38706741573 110% => OK
difficult_words: 173.0 100.480337079 172% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 9.0 11.8971910112 76% => OK
gunning_fog: 10.0 11.2143820225 89% => OK
text_standard: 17.0 11.7820224719 144% => OK
What are above readability scores?

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Maximum six paragraphs wanted.

Rates: 75.0 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.5 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.