To the Editor:
As schools invest in expensive new technology, it is impossible to avoid the truth that technology is the future. Teaching without it is simply insufficient now (“What Schools Can Do Now to Ensure Their New Technology Lasts Beyond the COVID Cash Boom,” May 17, 2022).
As a history teacher, I am seeing firsthand how computers are being misused for research and how information gathered on the internet is being misunderstood by our students. If we invest in a 1-to-1 computer program for our students, it is essential that we invest in proper training in using these computers. Schools must add a computer-literacy class to the curriculum if we are going to be moving toward a more complete digital-learning platform.
It is irresponsible to give these students computers and not invest in training. Although many still use their cellphones as their primary device, students cannot copy and paste from their phones to their digital worksheet yet, which makes the computer their primary device for learning. We need to train students how to research if we are expecting them to rely so heavily on technology and, specifically, the internet.
Richard Sova
Teacher
Rochester, N.Y.
