Customer Reviews

The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap

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Seymour Papert's The Connected Family is better suited toteachers than parents, since its chief criticism concerns schools' useof computers. He seems to believe that since schools are doing such a poor job of finding new and innovative uses for computers, he will target families in an attempt to allow children at least some positive experience with computers. While this is not a bad idea, I think his time would be better spent encouraging schools to rethink their use of computers. Certainly families should develop common interests and work together on projects, but children spend so much more time in school that changes there are likely to have a greater impact. I hope that many teachers find the time to read this book and consider making changes in their use of computers.

Teachers of very young students often recognize exploration as legitimate learning, but as the age of the student increases, the tendency is to decrease the time spent on exploration and increase time spent on instruction. This is done in the quest for efficiency in spite of the fact that we all know the most powerful lessons in life come from experience (exploring and experimenting.) It is Papert's idea that computers are best used as alternate universes in which students can continue to explore and experiment.

It used to be that you could explore a piece of technology and learn how it worked (picture peering into a manual typewriter,) but with increasing reliance on microprocessors this is laregly untrue today (picture peering inside your PC.) Papert's ideal of learning through exploration cannot occur when the working of the world is opaque. His solution for computers is to ignore the hardware (it is hopelessly opaque) and focus instead software. Don't ask children to merely use software but ask them to program a computer. This will reveal the workings of the digital age and remove some of the mystery of computers.

Papert poses some interesting ideas in this teaser of a book. I'd like to see more work done towards developing the type of software he imagines. The book's web site ... may have once had some of this, but it has now been replaced by ... a kid-oriented, but very limited site ...

Some of the most important things that I as an educator and parent took away from this book was the involvement of both the parents and teacher in the education of their children. My asessment of the book was that he uses the computer to increase the communication of all family members and show the uses of the computer. The one thing that stayed with me the most was the saying "Not why the computer but how the computer". That means to think of ways to include the computer in your everyday life. This is a book that all educators should have and encourage their students parents to get.

I didn't have a full understanding of what Papert meant, when he spoke of typical schools and typical homes. He seems to be implying that children coming from these enviorments can't be computer literate.

The Connected Family by Seymour Papert is an enlightening approach to helping parents realize the importance of being in touch with technology. Our children are very familiar and his reference to the fact that we must close this generation gap is on target. This book has encouraged and still challenges me to learn all that I can about technology.

Seymour Papert's book was enjoyable to read. In the beginning of the book I felt that he elaborated on the chapters. A lot of the book was redundant. I felt as if he blamed too much of the children's lack of education and exposure on the teachers.I believe that those who read Papert's book with an open mind will truly benefit. The teacher who approaches this book on the defense unfortunately will feel worse for having read it. I don't think that this is the kind of book that the average parent picks up to read.So many of them will never have the opportunity to see what is printed here. I would recommend this book to other educators. I would also encourage them to have an open mind as they read this book.I feel that the computer age calls for all teachers to do all that they can to improve on the computer especially since children are so stimulated today.

As a school teacher, I agree with Papert when he says that there should be room for more "reforms" in schools for technology. Computers are taking over at a fast pace and our future generation needs to acquire every last bit of information and/or skills that will be needed to both build and operate these machines.

In my synopsis of the connected family bridging the digiital generation gap, by Seymour Papert, I have found it to be rewarding reading, but it puts the parents down. Seymour Papert connects the learning of children, and the educator. However, he puts the parents in an isolated arena. He makes them seem uninterested in the learning of new concepts with the use of the computers. Most parents have not had the opportunity to experience what their children are today. I felt that parents have the same ability as the children. They have and can perform at the same levels when instructed to do things. In reading this book, I received insight on how parents can achieve the same goals as teachers, and students. Teachers are instructed to learn how to use the computers in the class with their lessons. This is done through special training classes and lectures. They are to integrate it in the classroom and ensure that children are incorporating the computer's technology in their final outcomes from the lesson. In turn, the students are going home, and hopefully, practicing with their parents. This practice between parent and child will incorporate better socializing skills. It will also help parents understand how to use the computer. Most parents are learning what their children are involved in at school, as well as, learning valuable knowledge that will bridge both teacher, student, and parent. This book is a very good instructional book, but it would be better suited for teachers, and students. It can help children encourage and stimulate their parents in being a vital part of their learning. Especially, in assessing lessons using the computer. It also enhances the skills of the teachers in the classroom. It helps teachers motivate students to be more responsible for the outcomes of their lessons. It helps them to use the computers in a more productive manner. Rather than, as a tool for e-mailing others in chat rooms, or playing games.

Seymour Papert has shared many things in this book. He also finds a way to formulate a connection between children, parents, and educators. Seymour's conception of the link between the computer is a very strong bond. The computer is being used as a tool to reach the generation gap in technology recognition. Although Seymour's belief's are very argumentive, his teaching is not traditional. I strongly agree with his explantation about the connected family. He provides the parent and child an opportunity to learn and become aware of the technology around them, without being afraid or lost. In conclusion Seymour Papert has enlightened my awareness as well as children and their parents in the field of technology. Overall, I would strongly recommend this book to many of our parents and educators.

In my response to "The Connected Family" I am compelled to agree with the educational perspectives Papert considers. Most Efficiently, the authors discourse forces one to think and recall educational and sociological thery courses. All through the dialogue we here theories of psychological, social, and most profoundly, educational development: "Children learn in a way that comes natural to them".1 All the while, technological fluency will allow them to grow or change as their world changes around them. "The Connected Family" or "The Family Learning Culture" must encounter the computer or technology in a way that will enhance learning and the family's culture: " My bottom line was that parents should recognize the need to build new kinds of relationships with their children and should see the computer as a vehicle for building, rather than as an obstacle to, family cohesion.Parents should spend less time worrying about what the kids are doing or are not doing with computers and more time trying to find common interest or projects to do together. The article suggested using the children's enthusiam for the computers as a basis for enhancing the family's learning culture."2

The most obvious revelation I discovered in reading Papert's book was his assessment of adult interactions, fears, and styles of learning with the computer or technology (i.e. the planner verses the tinkerer or the functionalist verses the experimentalist). Yes, this book is full of social, psychological, and educational theory. From Piaget concrete and operational stages of child development, the author moves smoothly to a project oriented assessment or aquisition of knowledge.

In conclusion, this book was thought provoking and intellectually stimulating for the heart and soul of all its readers and, most assuredly, for educators and sociologists like myself. Papert gets his readers to feel and think about his analysis and review of computers and technology in our educational system and in our family.In my opinion, the book should be required reading for all Sociology of Education courses. fluency

In my response to "The Connected Family" I am compelled to agree with the educational perspectives Papert considers. Most Efficiently, the authors discourse forces one to think and recall educational and sociological thery courses. All through the dialogue we here theories of psychological, social, and most profoundly, educational development: "Children learn in a way that comes natural to them".1 All the while, technological fluency will allow them to grow or change as their world changes around them. "The Connected Family" or "The Family Learning Culture" must encounter the computer or technology in a way that will enhance learning and the family's culture: " My bottom line was that parents should recognize the need to build new kinds of relationships with their children and should see the computer as a vehicle for building, rather than as an obstacle to, family cohesion.Parents should spend less time worrying about what the kids are doing or are not doing with computers and more time trying to find common interest or projects to do together. The article suggested using the children's enthusiam for the computers as a basis for enhancing the family's learning culture."2

The most obvious revelation I discovered in reading Papert's book was his assessment of adult interactions, fears, and styles of learning with the computer or technology (i.e. the planner verses the tinkerer or the functionalist verses the experimentalist). Yes, this book is full of social, psychological, and educational theory. From Piaget concrete and operational stages of child development, the author moves smoothly to a project oriented assessment or aquisition of knowledge.

In conclusion, this book was thought provoking and intellectually stimulating for the heart and soul of all its readers and, most assuredly, for educators and sociologists like myself. Papert gets his readers to feel and think about his analysis and review of computers and technology in our educational system and in our family.In my opinion, the book should be required reading for all Sociology of Education courses. fluency