Synthesis Essay

In his article, “Computers and Technology,” Richard Ohmann states that “it’s easy to get the impression that computers can save US education.” It has indeed become obvious that technology is transforming education; however, according to both Richard Ohmann and Clifford Stoll the change is not ideal for our schools, teachers, and students.

Many schools have rushed to buy computers with out really knowing why (computers and technology, 3). Just as Stoll says that computers have been “promoted as a solution to some mysterious crisis in the classroom, computers have been welcomed uncritically across the educational spectrum.” According to both of these authors the rush to buy computers has started to cause damage in education. Now society believes that a school can’t be good unless they have the newest and best technology. Clifford Stoll supports many of Ohmanns arguments and states that “A great school doesn’t need computers.”

What truly makes a school good is not the computer programs but the teachers. When teachers rely to heavily on technology students don’t benefit from learning interactively. Stoll said that in his own experience once the teacher started using technology the students tuned out and the teacher just sat back and felt as if they no longer needed to teach (who needs computers, 46). Even today “Students are tuning out their professors while they send e-mail messages….and otherwise multitask their way through their MBA’s” (September 7, 20001,A43). As for the teachers, according to a study in Ohmann’s article there are only 14 percent of teachers who felt that technology had “improved instruction on my campus” (computers and technology, 3). If it is not improving things why do we continue to see schools relying more and more on technology to “improve schools”? If Stoll had things his way he would completely get rid of computers in any educational setting.

He feels so strongly about computers because he is concerned about the students. Stoll emphasizes the fact that computers not only decrease student interaction (who needs computers, 48), but that “a river of instant electronic answers dampens curiosity” (who needs computers, 47). On page six in Computers and Technology, Ohmann expands on the shallowness of the internet “where knowledge dwindles into ‘information,’ research into plagiarism, and pedagogy into a search for trickier software to catch the plagiarist.” While Stoll firmly believes that computers are a horrible, useless addition to our schools, Ohmann pulls proof from the Oversold and Underused by Larry Cuban who said that “there is little evidence so far of gains in student achievement owing to use of this technology”(Computers and Technology, 3)

It is apparent that both Stoll and Ohmann agree that computers have not added anything to the educational system. They both feel that in many ways, these new technologies are hurting our schools. As Stoll said, “there are no shortcuts to a quality education.” Hopefully, schools will listen to that lesson and continue to put a quality education over the best, newest technology.