"Although innovations such as video, computers, and the Internet seem to offer schools improved methods for instructing students, these technologies all too often distract from real learning."

Essay topics:

"Although innovations such as video, computers, and the Internet seem to offer schools improved methods for instructing students, these technologies all too often distract from real learning."

The speaker asserts that innovations such as videos, computers, and the Internet too often distract from "real" learning in the classroom. I strongly agree that these tools can be counterproductive in some instances, and ineffectual for certain types of learning. Nevertheless, the speaker's assertion places too little value on the ways in which these innovations can facilitate the learning process. In several respects, I find the statement compelling.

First of all, in my observation and experience, computers and videos are misused most often for education when teachers rely on them as surrogates, or baby-sitters. Teachers must use the time during which students are watching videos or are at their computer stations productively--helping other students, preparing lesson plans, and so forth. Otherwise, these tools can indeed impede the learning process.

Secondly, passive viewing of videos or of Web pages is no indication that any significant learning is taking place. Thus teachers must carefully select Internet resources that provide a true interactive learning experience, or are highly informative otherwise. And, in selecting videos teachers must be sure to follow up with lively class discussions. Otherwise, the comparatively passive nature of these media can render them ineffectual in the learning process.

Thirdly, some types of learning occur best during face-to-face encounters between teacher and student, and between students. Only by way of a live encounter can a language teacher recognize and immediately correct subtle problems in pronunciation and inflection. And, there is no suitable substitute for a live encounter when it comes to teaching techniques in painting, sculpture, music performance, and acting. Moreover, certain types of learning are facilitated when students interact as a group. Many grade school teachers, for example, find that reading together aloud is the most effective way for students to learn this skill.

Fourth, with technology-based learning tools, especially computers and the Internet, learning how to use the technology can rob the teacher of valuable time that could be spent accomplishing the teacher's ultimate educational objectives. Besides, any technology-based learning tool carries the risk of technical problems. Students whose teachers fail to plan for productive use of unexpected down-time can lose opportunities for real learning.

Finally, we must not overlook the non-quantifiable benefit that personal attention can afford. A human teacher can provide meaningful personal encouragement and support, and can identify and help to solve a student's social or psychological problems that might be impeding the learning process. No video, computer program, or Web site can begin to serve these invaluable functions.

Acknowledging the many ways that technological innovations can impede "real" learning, these innovations nevertheless can facilitate "real" learning, if employed judicially and for appropriate purposes. Specifically, when it comes to learning rote facts and figures, personal interaction with a teacher is unnecessary, and can even result in fatigue and burnout for the teacher. Computers are an ideal tool for the sorts of learning that occur only through repetition--typing skills, basic arithmetical calculations, and so forth. Computers also make possible visual effects that aid uniquely in the learning of spatial concepts. Finally, computers, videos and the Internet are ideal for imparting basic text-book information to students, thereby freeing up the teacher's time to give students individualized attention. In sum, computers and videos can indeed distract from learning--when teachers misuse them as substitutes for personal attention, or when the technology itself becomes the focus of attention. Nevertheless, if judicially used as primers, as supplements, and where repetition and rote learning are appropriate, these tools can serve to liberate teachers to focus on individual needs of students--needs that only "real" teachers can recognize and meet.

Votes
Average: 7.9 (1 vote)
Essay Categories

Comments

Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 293, Rule ID: POSSESIVE_APOSTROPHE[1]
Message: Possible typo: apostrophe is missing. Did you mean 'speakers'' or 'speaker's'?
Suggestion: speakers'; speaker's
...in types of learning. Nevertheless, the speakers assertion places too little value on th...
^^^^^^^^
Line 1, column 412, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ns can facilitate the learning process. In several respects, I find the statemen...
^^
Line 3, column 408, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...can indeed impede the learning process. Secondly, passive viewing of videos or o...
^^^^^^
Line 5, column 117, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Thus,
...y significant learning is taking place. Thus teachers must carefully select Internet...
^^^^
Line 5, column 465, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...em ineffectual in the learning process. Thirdly, some types of learning occur be...
^^^^^
Line 7, column 33, Rule ID: AFFORD_VB[1]
Message: This verb is used with the infinitive: 'to occur'
Suggestion: to occur
...s. Thirdly, some types of learning occur best during face-to-face encounters bet...
^^^^^
Line 7, column 635, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...e way for students to learn this skill. Fourth, with technology-based learning ...
^^^^^
Line 9, column 278, Rule ID: AFFORD_VB[1]
Message: This verb is used with the infinitive: 'to tool'
Suggestion: to tool
... Besides, any technology-based learning tool carries the risk of technical problems....
^^^^
Line 9, column 445, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...n lose opportunities for real learning. Finally, we must not overlook the non-qu...
^^^^^^
Line 11, column 326, Rule ID: WEB_SITE[1]
Message: Did you mean 'website'?
Suggestion: Website
...process. No video, computer program, or Web site can begin to serve these invaluable fun...
^^^^^^^^
Line 11, column 382, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...in to serve these invaluable functions. Acknowledging the many ways that technol...
^^^^^^
Line 13, column 840, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...give students individualized attention. In sum, computers and videos can indeed ...
^^

Discourse Markers used:
['also', 'besides', 'finally', 'first', 'if', 'look', 'moreover', 'nevertheless', 'second', 'secondly', 'so', 'third', 'thirdly', 'thus', 'for example', 'such as', 'first of all']

Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments

Performance in Part of Speech:
Nouns: 0.262784090909 0.240241500013 109% => OK
Verbs: 0.129261363636 0.157235817809 82% => OK
Adjectives: 0.102272727273 0.0880659088768 116% => OK
Adverbs: 0.0568181818182 0.0497285424764 114% => OK
Pronouns: 0.015625 0.0444667217837 35% => OK
Prepositions: 0.0980113636364 0.12292977631 80% => OK
Participles: 0.0355113636364 0.0406280797675 87% => OK
Conjunctions: 3.39303381698 2.79330140395 121% => OK
Infinitives: 0.0170454545455 0.030933414821 55% => OK
Particles: 0.00284090909091 0.0016655270985 171% => OK
Determiners: 0.0738636363636 0.0997080785238 74% => OK
Modal_auxiliary: 0.0326704545455 0.0249443105267 131% => OK
WH_determiners: 0.0227272727273 0.0148568991511 153% => OK

Vocabulary words and sentences:
No of characters: 4129.0 2732.02544248 151% => OK
No of words: 595.0 452.878318584 131% => OK
Chars per words: 6.93949579832 6.0361032391 115% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.93888872473 4.58838876751 108% => OK
words length more than 5 chars: 0.460504201681 0.366273622748 126% => OK
words length more than 6 chars: 0.398319327731 0.280924506359 142% => OK
words length more than 7 chars: 0.339495798319 0.200843997647 169% => OK
words length more than 8 chars: 0.208403361345 0.132149295362 158% => OK
Word Length SD: 3.39303381698 2.79330140395 121% => OK
Unique words: 299.0 219.290929204 136% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.502521008403 0.48968727796 103% => OK
Word variations: 62.4519346192 55.4138127331 113% => OK
How many sentences: 29.0 20.6194690265 141% => OK
Sentence length: 20.5172413793 23.380412469 88% => OK
Sentence length SD: 51.039352051 59.4972553346 86% => OK
Chars per sentence: 142.379310345 141.124799967 101% => OK
Words per sentence: 20.5172413793 23.380412469 88% => OK
Discourse Markers: 0.586206896552 0.674092028746 87% => OK
Paragraphs: 7.0 4.94800884956 141% => OK
Language errors: 12.0 5.21349557522 230% => Correct essay format wanted or double check grammar & spelling issues after essay writing.
Readability: 60.3491741524 51.4728631049 117% => OK
Elegance: 1.96478873239 1.64882698954 119% => OK

Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.349857379168 0.391690518653 89% => OK
Sentence sentence coherence: 0.0774363091856 0.123202303941 63% => OK
Sentence sentence coherence SD: 0.0537956267933 0.077325440228 70% => OK
Sentence paragraph coherence: 0.508146273493 0.547984918172 93% => OK
Sentence paragraph coherence SD: 0.124475516219 0.149214159877 83% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.118778285022 0.161403998019 74% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0902710954457 0.0892212321368 101% => OK
Paragraph paragraph coherence: 0.2631397112 0.385218514788 68% => OK
Paragraph paragraph coherence SD: 0.0496906218474 0.0692045440612 72% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.200223932224 0.275328986314 73% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0950296254477 0.0653680567796 145% => OK

Task Achievement:
Sentences with positive sentiment : 13.0 10.4325221239 125% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 10.0 5.30420353982 189% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 6.0 4.88274336283 123% => OK
Positive topic words: 10.0 7.22455752212 138% => OK
Negative topic words: 8.0 3.66592920354 218% => OK
Neutral topic words: 6.0 2.70907079646 221% => OK
Total topic words: 24.0 13.5995575221 176% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?

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Rates: 79.17 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.75 Out of 6
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Note: This is not the final score. The e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.