Technology Today and Yesterday

A Computer Smarter Than Me?
Growing up, I would frequently sit back and listen to my Great Grandma tell stories of her life. Several were of the adventures that she went on and things that she encountered throughout her years. To this day, I still sit back and ponder on how much different her growing up was then mine is. So many items of technology that I take for granted, she never had the opportunity to possess. For instance, the microwave: so often when I want something to eat, I can easily pop it in the microwave to heat up. My grandma didn’t have the advantage that I have. She couldn’t run inside after playing with her friends and heat up pizza or whatever was in the refrigerator.
Technology has been advancing so fast over the past few years. This increase in advancement has required the people of today’s society to worry less on their personal skills and more on the things of the world. Instead of teaching our children thoroughly how to compute mathematic equations properly, they are learning the several functions of the calculator. What is more important? Yes, our children should know proper functions of the calculator, but by focusing more on using this tool of technology, they are losing their independency. They will have to depend more on the calculator instead of being able to compute these problems quickly by themselves. They are relying more on technology than themselves.
In the video, “Shift Happens”, it mentioned that students are being prepared for jobs that are not yet available or yet discovered. Students are being trained to work machines and equipment that are not yet developed. I understand the point of preparing students for their future. But not all students will be going into the same field, using the same instruments. So they are receiving unnecessary training. It is important for our children to know of the new technology and to have a basic introduction into what the invention is and what it does. But, why prepare for something that is not yet available?
George Carlin could not have discussed politician’s beliefs in education any better. They believe that it is the answer to everything. “We need more money for education, more books, more teachers, more classrooms, and more schools. We need more testing for the kids.” It doesn’t matter how much money is spent, how many teachers are hired, or how many classrooms or schools that are built. The importance of education is the quality of teachers. A teacher must be of great intelligence and is more worried about teaching a student rather than being a friend. Once a teacher becomes a friend to the students, then the information taught is not respected and cared on. In most schools, the test grades are lowered and it does help the students pass. But, by lowering the scores the students still aren’t learning. It may appear that they are because the percentage of students advancing onto the next level is higher, but they are still struggling to learn and to obtain the proper education that is available. Recently the No Child Left Behind program was put into play in all of the schools around the country. This program puts all students in the same classroom, no matter what their learning level is. It disables those students that learn quickly from obtaining the education that they deserve. These quick learners are forced to wait until all other students are ready to move onto new material. So while it helps those that need more attention, it cripples those that learn quicker. It is a benefit but it is also a disadvantage. What is the point of enrolling our children in Pre-Schools and Head Start programs when once they are attending grade school, they will be slowed down and held back to wait for the others?
Politicians don’t want people to be as smart as they are. They complain about how other countries are passing students with higher IQ’s and grades. But at the same time that they are stressing the importance of education, they are holding children back. Technology is advancing so quickly that computers will be the thing of the future. The technology that is being thought of will be so much more advanced than the human mind. Computers will be able to do things that humans won’t be able to. But at the same time, I wonder how the technology will advance further than the human mind, when it is the human mind that will think of these advancements. Time will tell what the future holds. Several changes in the education system need to be made. But, there is a small chance that any of it will become better.