Pamela Paul’s Reading, Essay Example

Both teachers and parents desire to create the optimal learning environment at academic institutions. The role technology can play in the learning process has become a hot debate between experts and parents and is the theme of Pamela Paul’s March 15, 2013 articled Reading, Writing and Video Games. I agree with Pamela’s assertion that technology can be properly utilized to help students learn basic skills.

Pamela argues that “today, educational technology boosters believe computer games (the classroom euphemism for video games) should be part of classroom lessons at increasingly early ages”. This argument calls for modern educational environments to be redesigned around technology and is an acknowledgement of the fact that children today grow in different environments and as such may have different learning preferences.

As far as parents are concerned, Pamela claims “many parents believe that games children play on home computers should edify children, improve their hand-eye coordination and inculcate higher math skills. The most popular apps in the Apple store for toddlers and preschoolers are educational.” If true, this proves that all relevant stakeholders acknowledge technology holds significant promises in enriching students’ learning experiences because it has become an integral part of their daily lives.

Pamela also insists that “the concepts of work and play have become farcically reversed: schoolwork is meant to be superfun; play, like homework, is meant to teach.” This helps create more productive learning environments by improving students’ engagement with the learning processes. In other words, learning can be both fun and effective.