Do computers negatively affect student growth?

The issue on whether computers negatively affect student growth is a common issue with pros and cons to each side. The first article I read was written by Lowell Monke. The name of his article was The Human Touche and he expressed how computers do have a negative impact on student growth.  He speaks of first hand experiences and confrontations. A computer can only give you so much information but without an actual experience to relate it too, there will be no true understanding of the information. What a computer gives you is a two dimensional screen with statistics.  None of this allows for any type of experience. One paragraph in particular stuck out in my head as I was reading the passage, the statement about the computer game that had to due with survival.  Going through all the necessary procedures to survive in the wilderness through a video game on the computer. A computer cannot express enjoyment, excitement as well as thrill, and the accomplishment and doing something physically and overcoming it. What happened to going outside and playing? Is that something of the past or is it all about computers and televisions?  Playing outside at such a young age is a crucial impact on a child's life. This is where they learn what real life is meaning making friends, having responsibility, and making rational decisions. Communication with friends is where relationships start, not on a computer screen. Another negative impact is the fact that using a computer takes away all the necessary tools that a child was taught in school at a young age such as reading, writing, and grammar.  Computers have programs that allow for all these accommodations. This just makes it much harder for a child or student to get a real job when it comes that time in their life. After being hand-fed all their information and when it comes time to do a presentation or an essay the individual in going to suffer.

The second passage Technical Difficulties was written by Frederick M. Hess. Frederick believes that computers will better are children and society as a whole. Computers allow for a much faster and more proficient work ethic.  It also calls for less workers when it comes to jobs. This saves money for the owner of the business. Classrooms only have 16 children as oppose to 30 children like they did years ago. Computers allow for this because of all the necessary work it takes for a teacher to get together and present to their children to allow for a more beneficial learning process. Computers allow for many different types of jobs to work faster in all aspects of the job.  A computer can hold up to infinite amount of information where as paper can only hold so much. The time put into finding the information alone would be huge.

I believe that computers have a negative impact on student growth. It affects  there chances to develop relations ships with friends as well and negativity impacting there writing and reading skills. As said in the first passage computer skills is a skill that can be learned later on in school after developing all the necessary skills to succeed. Student have done it and still can, why make the change and affect are younger population in a negative way which result in our over all population!