I ACT AND LEARN

“I hear and forget, see and remember, act and learn.”
( a Chinese proverb)

Making learning permanent and quick is one of the basic problems for which pedagogues have been trying to find solutions. Since Archaic times, philosophers have introduced their opinions and all these solutions are still taken into consideration with their time and social structure. However, these principles can be affective only when they come together, because they are all indispensable parts of this system.

We know that, the more sense organs are in learning process, the more efficiency is. In modern teaching, “clearness” is a principle that suggest making most sense organ effective in this process, because people remember from:
1.reading = %10
2.listening = %20
3.seeing = %30
4.both seeing and listening = %50
5.telling = %70
6.acting and telling = % 90

Computers are means in learning effective and there are differences between technological classes and pen-paper classes. In such a case, I would prefer the first class although it has some disadvantages.

Using computers help both students and teachers get data faster and save time. Its speed is of course over human speed. You have access to internet, you can find whatever you want in seconds. You can archieve datas, save them in CDs. When you are in a pen-paper class, however, you have to make research from encyclopedias or books which are available on internet already. This make you effort on searching more.

Computer labs help all the students be active in the class, because all the students have to answer the questions that are in the computers. In a pen- paper class, the question that is asked by the teacher is answered by some of the students- in general they are the volunters, and the same people. This shows the others more shy or passive. Especially in group works, mocking or humiliating are less in labs, because students don't have to deal with each other. Also, computers are lifeless things, they can't understand that you are red like a tomato because you don't know.

Visuality is very important in learning, because people can't forget what they see easily. When those things are colorful, with animation, this makes lessons more enjoyable and remindful. Nobody wants to see a teacher who is colorless(!) and who is always talking in a same intonation. You can sit on a chair and sleep during the class.

Beside all the advantages of labs, there are some disadvantages- advantages of pen-paper class. For example, this excessive usage of technology makes it very less that the social interaction between students. They may speak less than they do in a pen-paper class. Namely, pen-paper class is friendlier, warmer. Teachers talk to students face to face, can look into their eyes; however, in labs, we generally look into computers' monitors.

Using only computers and shelving other methods both lower the efficiency and may make students addictive to computers. This- because of radiation and excessive light from the computers- results in eyestrain and headaches.

As a result, both the classrooms have some advantages and disadvantages. Some students are good at remembering visual things, while some of them can understand through writing and taking notes. For a developed country, an education without memorization; however, technology is a touchstone.