Computer Use

After reading a recent School Library Journal article (http://www.libraryjournal.com/slj/printissuecurrentissue/888611-427/we_interrupt_this_program_media.html.csp), the author, Douglas Rushkoff, brought up an interesting point. In the United States, we simply teach kids how to use them for specific tasks, such as writing. In other countries, students are taught not only to use them, but also how to program them. This is an important skill because that will enable them to further develop technology and programs, while, in the meantime, we will simply master the current technology until the next technology is developed, by another nation.

Rushkoff discusses meeting with military officials who expressed real concerns over the future of our military because of the lack of availability to program military technology. By not being able to program the technology ourselves, we become that much more reliant on other countries to do it for us. This is scary because it really makes us very dependent on the skills of others.

The idea of failing to train students the technical aspects of technology reminds me of how many school districts (my own included) absolutely fail to teach students who are interested in industrial technology and arts. We continue to treat almost everyone as though their only option is to go to college, despite the fact that many students would be more successful and happy to do more technical type jobs.

In short, the author accurately points out that we need to continue to develop our literacies in how things work and not just how to work things. If we continue to let others do the programming and technical work, we will constantly be behind in innovating new technologies and it will be just a matter of time before we fall behind fast both economically and militarily. We need to be sure that we are not simply allowing ourselves to fall behind without even making an earnest effort to keep up.