Is technology dumbing people down.

[Twilight Hue]

I agree.

That's because I thought of the late Stephen Hawking's voice!

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Students weren't allowed calculators in school back when I went. They wanted you to learn how to solve using your brain, not learn to push buttons.

Same with me. But eventually that idea just doesn't hold. Such as, when one begins algebra the basic arithmetic for it has been learned and practiced and is known and show a simple calculator should be allowed so students can focus more on learning understanding and solving formulae while not worrying about the basics.

 

[Quagmire]

Is technology dumbing people down?

I'm not sure.

Better go ask ChatGPT.



*Edit: ChatGPT said 'no' and then linked me to a bunch of really cool cat memes.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Same with me. But eventually that idea just doesn't hold. Such as, when one begins algebra the basic arithmetic for it has been learned and practiced and is known and show a simple calculator should be allowed so students can focus more on learning understanding and solving formulae while not worrying about the basics.

If you're too worried about doing the basics then you're not going to be able to do the complicated.

 

[ratiocinator]

Is technology dumbing people down?

For example take autofill -Type a few letters and it will pop the word or similar up.
Take spell checker -Spell it wrong and the correct way will pop up.

I admit I often use those without giving it a thought because its so simple and easy.
Not much thinking involved and when not using my cell/tablet or laptop and actually writing, I sometimes have to think about and look some words to make sure I have spelled them right.

All in all I would say my spelling has slightly declined. Now it could be age but IMO its more of it will do it for me.

That's just one simple example.

Maybe its just me. Anyone else?

Well, I'm dyslexic, although not nearly as bad as some people have it. I was late learning to read but once I did, I was fine. Spelling was another matter. I'm still hopless at it, and it was a huge relief when word processing and spell checking became the norm (at work, to begin with) and I could concentrate on what I wanted to say, rather than checking all the words in a paper dictionary to make sure I'd spelled them right. I think my spelling has actually improved, because I've been automatically corrected so often and I no longer worry about it.

I also can't do mental arithmetic to save my life, but as soon as mathematics at school moved on to algebra, I loved it. Took two A-levels in maths and did a maths-based degree - never looked back, but still can't do mental arithmetic. In fact, the sixth-form college I went to was strict about who did their Further Mathematics course (your school teacher had to recommend you) and there were only three students in my year, so four people in the class, including the tutor. None of us were any good at mental arithmetic, so we'd work through long problems in calculus or whatever, and if the question asked for a numerical solution we'd all be saying "who's got a calculator?" (long before everybody had one on their phones).

So, frankly no, at least in the case of spelling and arithmetic, I don't really think it's "dumbing people down" because these things aren't really about intelligence in the first place. Part of my diagnosis for dyslexia (when it was only just being recognised) was comparing my spelling to my abstract reasoning ability. Spelling was dreadful, but reasoning ability was high.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

If you're too worried about doing the basics then you're not going to be able to do the complicated.

It's not a worry, it's the fact algebra students know basic arithmetic. They can add, subtract, multiple and divide. And because we all make mistakes why not just let students focus more on the algebra part and less on the arithmetic?
Afterall, eventually it's required to have a scientific calculator and even higher up a graphing calculator.
Just let them focus on setting things up to solve for x and let the calculator handle the basics. They're still learning, they still know how.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's not a worry, it's the fact algebra students know basic arithmetic. They can add, subtract, multiple and divide. And because we all make mistakes why not just let students focus more on the algebra part and less on the arithmetic?
Afterall, eventually it's required to have a scientific calculator and even higher up a graphing calculator.
Just let them focus on setting things up to solve for x and let the calculator handle the basics. They're still learning, they still know how.

That's because I'm picturing Einstein with that huge chalkboard with all the computations, notations and formula in the background all handwritten and not with a single calculator in sight.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

That's because I'm picturing Einstein with that huge chalkboard with all the computations, notations and formula in the background all handwritten and not with a single calculator in sight.

No ****. What we recognize as modern calculators weren't invented until after his death. But, yes, he used what was available to him at the time.

 

[JustGeorge]

Those devices need to be banned for the duration of classes and testing.

It's the only way to ensure the students are using their brains and not cheating.

In our local district, they're now giving them up past 2nd grade, I think... all the class work is done on them.

(One of the many reasons I homeschool.)

 

[We Never Know]

Same with me. But eventually that idea just doesn't hold. Such as, when one begins algebra the basic arithmetic for it has been learned and practiced and is known and show a simple calculator should be allowed so students can focus more on learning understanding and solving formulae while not worrying about the basics.

There ya have it. If its already learned and known they dont need a calculator.

 

[Heyo]

There ya have it. If its already learned and known they dont need a calculator.

I don't need a calculator, but with a calculator I can solve problems faster. That means the teacher can ask more and more complicated questions. Being freed from "dumb" tasks can make people more intelligent, or at least more productive.

 

[Kathryn]

OK so as you know, I recently moved. Suddenly I need a GPS. Now, in the 1990s, I traveled across Europe using an atlas and sometimes a map! What the heck.

 

[Quagmire]

OK so as you know, I recently moved. Suddenly I need a GPS. Now, in the 1990s, I traveled across Europe using an atlas and sometimes a map! What the heck.

I know what you mean. In my hitchhiking days the first thing I would do when I hit a new town was take a look at the map in the back of the local phone book (back when they still had pay phones), and look for a blue line which always meant a river or a stream.

Once I found the blue line, I would look on either side of it for blank yellow areas on the map. These almost always meant woods or some sort of open space. That's where I would be camping for the night.

Now, before I even set out (because I still go bicycle camping sometimes) all I have to do is look on Google Earth and I'll have all my camping spots for the trip picked out before I even hit the road.

Can't say I mind the convenience.

 

[Kathryn]

I know what you mean. In my hitchhiking days the first thing I would do when I hit a new town was take a look at the map in the back of the local phone book (back when they still had pay phones), and look for a blue line which always meant a river or a stream.

Once I found the blue line, I would look on either side of it for blank yellow areas on the map. These almost always meant woods or some sort of open space. That's where I would be camping for the night.

Now, before I even set out (because I still go bicycle camping sometimes) all I have to do is look on Google Earth and I'll have all my camping spots for the trip picked out before I even hit the road.

Can't say I mind the convenience.

Oh me either.

 

[We Never Know]

I don't need a calculator, but with a calculator I can solve problems faster. That means the teacher can ask more and more complicated questions. Being freed from "dumb" tasks can make people more intelligent, or at least more productive.

You aren't solving it, your calculator is.
You are just relaying the calculators answer.

 

[We Never Know]

I know what you mean. In my hitchhiking days the first thing I would do when I hit a new town was take a look at the map in the back of the local phone book (back when they still had pay phones), and look for a blue line which always meant a river or a stream.

Once I found the blue line, I would look on either side of it for blank yellow areas on the map. These almost always meant woods or some sort of open space. That's where I would be camping for the night.

Now, before I even set out (because I still go bicycle camping sometimes) all I have to do is look on Google Earth and I'll have all my camping spots for the trip picked out before I even hit the road.

Can't say I mind the convenience.

Yeah I don't miss stopping and spreading out a road map on the hood to find the best route.

 

[Quagmire]

Yeah I don't miss stopping and spreading out a road map on the hood to find the best route.

Funny how maps usually cost 3 or 4 bucks back then, which was enough to feed a family of five for a week back in the '80s ( ), but Google Earth and all the other apps we use instead now are free.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

There ya have it. If its already learned and known they dont need a calculator.

Do you know how math works? I can, and had to, do statistics by hand. It's basically just basic algebra once you remember how to set the different formulae for the different values, but damn a calculator would have helped a lot because it's a lot of tedious work to do by hand.
And I don't usually use a calculator unless it's a more complexed thing thats gonna take awhile to do, starting at around the Quadratic Formula and square roots because they aren't really hard but they can get tedius and drawn out and why waste the time? QF especially, you have to do this with it then that with amf some more stuff just so you can solve it. I havent used a calculator that can solve those out of the box, meaning you still have to know how to do it either by hand or writing a program to do(my prefered method in high school), which again requires you to know how to do it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yeah I don't miss stopping and spreading out a road map on the hood to find the best route.

I still do it because GPS is often wrong and often doesn't know the best way. I even still write down directions because GPSs do things that don't make a shred if sense and they sometimes go out.
But as a backup,an assistant of sorts, and a way to get a better look at everything ahead of time they are really great.

 

[Heyo]

I still do it because GPS is often wrong and often doesn't know the best way. I even still write down directions because GPSs do things that don't make a shred if sense and they sometimes go out.
But as a backup,an assistant of sorts, and a way to get a better look at everything ahead of time they are really great.

I know they aren't sentient (and I'd probably feel a little bad if they were), but I like the "confusion" I cause them when not following their commands. It's always interesting to see how long it takes them to calculate the new route.
Small guilty pleasures.