YOUR COMMENTS

Schools seem to think they need to continue to stretch the curriculum out to the point where students seem to do more and more homework and less in school. In addition, the basics such as Math, Social Studies, English, and Science are being presented in such bazaar ways that it even confuses the parents (and this is a national trend go online and search). For example, introducing alternative math techniques they will never use, political views of the teacher, teaching spelling through writing rather than teaching word parts, patterns and spelling lists, etc.. We need to stick to the basics. The kids are smart enough to figure out how to use the internet, phones and gadgets. They are growing up with this stuff as part of their lives, leave it out of schools.
- DL, Concord

Your description of the internet as a "reflection of popular culture" and of little educational value is so contrary to my experience. The fact that I read this editorial on your website is one example of the use of the internet.

With rising costs for text books and field trips, the internet provides access to a depth and breadth of knowledge that no small town school library could possibly house and virtual field trips are taking students to the Amazon rain forest and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

While you may find little educational value in one type of internet website, to categorically dismiss its total use seems narrow minded and shortsighted.
- Joanne Flanagan, Chester

On the surface, it may seem like there is little educational value to Myspace or other “social networking sites”. However, in the modern workplace, there are many shared applications that are currently being used that are very similar to “social networking sites.” Microsoft has an application called SharePoint that is supported by a variety of other applications. To use SharePoint you need to upload files and download files and be able to do basic layout of your personal site. Many work assignments are given out and collected via SharePoint. or other application such as Lotus Notes. That new employees are already familiar with the general function of a networking site is very helpful. and will soon be required by many employers. Education, however, is not treated a seriously by many as perhaps they should and I am afraid that because the sites that students use are called “social” rather than “work” they will abused and not controllable by network managers at the school.
- Joe Zelinski, Menlo Park

This is even a little over the top for a liberal web developer like myself. MySpace, Facebook or any other social networking website does not belong in the classroom. The educational "value" is far out-weighed by the educational distraction these sites would cause. Now if the school wanted to set up a "MySpace" type site internally with no outside access, I could see that being a useful educational tool.
- Jeff Comeau, Manchester NH

I agree with Ray, the internet is a great tool for finding information, since there are at least a few people out there who care to share it. (wikipedia as an example). The problem is that like every other tool out there, there are people that will abuse it. Instead of turning to pop culture for the answers, how about the schools making their own websites? Allow some students to make the website? Create a safe place for people to post their creative ideas in a schoolwide community page? Just because every kid knows about myspace does not mean adults should turn to it to try to use it for educational purposes. It just doesn't work.
- Mike, Merrimack

While I agree that the educational value of accessing Myspace, etc... from school computers does not outweigh the associated risks I can not agree that there is little educational value in access to the Internet and technology as a whole. To posit the notion that the Internet is a mere reflection of popular culture betrays the editor's blind ignorance to vast wealth of information available. In fact if used properly an Internet connected computer can save vast sums in text cost alone.

As an educator and a technologist I see the Internet, like a book, as nothing more than a tool for the educator. It is just a question of how it is used.
- Ray, Sunapee

I'd be concerned that useage of MySpace could infect the school's computer networks with the many viruses found on MySpace. As far as MySpace being an educational tool, it certainly CAN be part of a creative writing curriculum or even marketing class, however I doubt it would be used in those ways.
- DM, Manchester

Nice... now they'll be able to communicate to eachother on who they are going to beat up on the way out of the classroom, or that they don't like "Lisa" in the third row, fourth desk, "the girl is such a whore"... Give me a break, there is no educational value to allowing this!
- Gary Palys, Allenstown