Wednesday, August 5, 2009

New technologies and dinosaurs

Many years I wrote this:

Paleolithic (or something like that):

Since the dawn of our existence a long time ago
we've learned the use of many thing of which we ought not know.
We've a weapon that we never had and words we sometimes use
like loyalty and brotherhood. These we most abuse.
But the weapon (oh, the weapon) will be our fate, our doom
That terrible thing, the sling.

See? Crap really. But even then, and it was about 1960, I was thinking of technology and the devastating effect it can have on life as we know it. Look now. Electronics medicine agriculture all advanced in the last 50 or so years. Some things unbelievable if discussed in 1960. But here we are. Nano this and pico that. And chips, my god the chips. Smaller faster better, every 18 months. (The chip: England's contribution to cuisine).
So when a newish on line tool comes around I think "well, more crap to make crappy teaching no better." I think I have a lock on the truth. But now I don't know. I am playing with a newish technology and it is pretty cool. And there are more to come. I still don't think that a computer screen no matter how interactive can ever take the place of a good classroom. But I am beginning to see the point.
Dinosaurs became birds by a long and random process. Maybe this dinosaur will learn to fly with slightly more grace.

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