Technology and Thinking
Posted by sunnywilliams on February 6, 2007
One of our 7th grade math classes had a discussion today about technology and student’s ability to think. The teacher asked students if technology was causing people not to have to think. A student replied, “Do you have to think to use technology?” What are your thoughts? How is technology changing the way we process information, make decisions, and think?
February 6th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
I definitely believe you must think in order to use technology EFFECTIVELY. Most people can sit down at a computer to type a letter, send an email or IM but do we know what technology can do for us? I believe technology allows us to access more information but we still must be able to discern good information from bad information and that is where the “thinking” part comes in. Students as well as adults must be able to assess if a website is valuable or not. Just because we may know how to use technology does not mean we don’t have to think about HOW to use technology. Technology cannot do the thinking for you! Just because you know a calculator can add and subtract (among many other functions)for you, does not mean you don’t have to to know the right buttons to push.
February 6th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Yes!!! I do think you have to think to use technology! Even though technology makes it easier for me to do some of my tasks it is still me doing it. For example even though the computer is helping me write this comment it is still my words and thoghts that are in the comment. Even though my Nintindo DS keeps me intertained it is still me trying to beat the game and comming up with ways to win. So those are my thoughts about technology!!! Thanks for reading!!!!
February 6th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I think that we do need technology and it does require one to think. We must think about what we type. You have to think about processes in order to navigate around on the web and other programs. Technology is invading our world. You can’t use the newer machines, telephones, computers, even TV’s without thinking. You can’t just not think.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:47 am
I feel that technology is now a very important part of life and culture today. Yes, thinking is needed in order to be able to use the technology. Thinking about the results that technology affords will assure that the result is a logical solution. If a student uses a calculator to find discount or sales tax, logic is still needed in order to make sure that the answer is reasonable. Therefore, as long as we still check the solutions gained by the technology, we are still thinking and problem solving.
February 16th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
A great question! I believe that in order to really come to a new understanding, there must be some very deep thinking, maybe even greater than we have seen at any other time. However, there is great effort involved to ensure that the information that we access is authentic and is not biased or distorted. Having said that, all information has some sort of bias no matter how people try to remove it. We all come from particular backgrounds and cultures that will affect how we see and interpret everything in which we come into contact. With this in mind, we need to find information that tries not to let those things completely dominate. Although we have made tools that allow us to look for information much easier, toolbars with widgets, easier click icons, we have to be more literate when it comes to the information that is accessed.
These are great questions with some very thoughtful answers. I’ll be checking back to see what else is going on!
February 20th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I think that computers are big in our life. I think that we do have to think because it gives you a chance to learn how the computer works and how to find research. If we didn’t have a computer well then we would be looking it up a bokk which we would be finding information but it would just take us a lot longer.
February 20th, 2007 at 9:32 am
I am going to say that Yes you have to think we just do not type these words with out thinking them or, we do not get to this website by it poping up we have to think to be able to type it in the adress box. Sure it takes away some abilities but we are learning new ones on the way. Computers have mad us more lazy but they are also going to be the tool of the future I think.
February 20th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
I think that technology has become a very important thing in our life. There are so many people that use it and I think that you do have to think when you use technology. Peoples lives are dependent on it. If people didn’t think when they used it they would have no idea of what to do. People will always be thinking.
March 16th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Yes you do have to think to use technology.It makes all the things that we do in class easier.People are using technology every day.This is an important part of our lives.Most people that have traveling jobs could not do that job without techology.So yes I think that you have to think to use technology.
March 16th, 2007 at 8:33 am
I think that you do have to think when you use technology. I also think using technology makes life easier for us, but you have to know how to use technology first before you do anything with Technology.
March 16th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Technology is a part of our lives, there is no doubt about it. We cannot take that away, whether somebody likes it or not. I think that we do think that we think while using technology but in another sense, we don’t.For example, when we type our thoughts onto this blog it isn’t technology thinking for us, it is just helping us do the work. But, at some times technology does think for us. When you use a calculator you hardly ever think about it, you just do it.
March 16th, 2007 at 8:38 am
I think we must think to use technology! You never know! When your doing something your thinking, right? Well if you didn’t think you probably wouldn’t know what your doing. So I’m guessing that you need to think about what you do with your technology to know what your doing. By thinking we know where to find our research, and it just gives us a great chance to learn about the computers!
March 16th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Yes, I do think that you have to think when you use technology. Even though it does not take as long you still have to think. You have to think what to type in order for it to put these words on the screen. So I think that you have to think when using technology.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Yes, you have to think to use technology, if you didn’t, then you might end up putting in the wrong data and getting the wrong answer. Technology is importaant for learning because you are doing the work it’s just helping you along.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:42 am
I think that technology is very important in our lives. So many people have computers, cell phones, ipods and alot more. When you have to do a project, you do it on the computer. It looks alot better if it is done that way.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:44 am
I do think you have to think to use technology. All the programs that are on computers today require you to do a lot of thinking. I play a video game on the computer called Sims 2 and you have to try to manage a family that you create. You have to think about what you want the people to do. When you use microsoft word you have to think about what you want to say in the document. As technology advances people will be required to think even more.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:49 am
I deffinatly agree that technology is an incredibly important part of society today. More and more jobs are swithching over to the computer opperated side of life. I do, however, don’t think that we should rely 100% on new computer softwares and other coming of age learning sources. Teachers still need to teach their material and not rely on modern sources to say everything for them. Also creative projects and individual ideas still need to be incoorpedrated into the classroom; not just reading off facts from the internet,printing them,and turning them in. In conclusion, I think technology is a blessing as long as it is mixed in with original methods and ideas.
March 16th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I think that yes, we have to think to use technology. It’s hard to use technology if you don’t know what you’re doing. Technology not only helps to get jobs done but while using it we learn different skills.