Customer Reviews

Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds--for Better and Worse

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This is an excellent book, if for no other reason than that Healy is willing to put forward arguments (albeit imperfect ones) on the other side of the computers-in-education debate. The whole discussion has been decidedly one-sided, with, as Healy notes, most of the published material issued by people with a financial interest in promoting technology, or with some vague notions about its benefits.

As a person who grew up in the technology age, who has over 10 yrs of experience in industry, who has two young children in public schools, and who happens to be working on a Ph.D in issues of technology and society, I am direcly involved with the issues she raises. Healy's research and argumentation leave something to be desired, but her basic conclusions are correct: there is little or no justification for the use of computers or other high technology devices in schools, expecially elementary and middle schools. The other reviewers (below) who are critical of Healy are not addressing the main points: (1) there is little evidence that computer-aided instruction improves academic performance; (2) there is sufficient evidence, although no proof, that computer usage can be both physically and mentally harmful, and this justifies great caution; (3) the idea that kids need computer experience 'to get ready for the real world', or 'to be competitive', is a complete myth. Everything a child needs to learn about computers can be accomplished in the last few years of high school. Children in K-5 especially have virtually zero need for computer technology, and no one I have come across has provided arguments to the contrary.

Too many teachers and parents mindlessly follow along with the trend of computerizing our schools. In a debate dominated by one side, all opposing views are welcome. Healy provides an accessible account of the anti-technology case, and this alone makes her book well worth reading.

Do computers have a place in our homes and schools for young children? Is it wise to encourage such use by youngsters? This is a debate that is getting a lot of attention.

Jane Healy, Ph.D., has been an educator for more than 35 years, including experience as a classroom teacher, elementary school administrator, and college professor. She begins her book with a discussion of how the whole technological revolution is almost of a religious fervor. To research her book, she spent hundreds of hours visiting classrooms and homes to watch kids interact with their computers.

Healy maintains that parents who purchase software for their babies have been sold a bill of goods. She says that there is no evidence that computers and software will make kids smarter. Rather, it may be doing them more harm than good.

In Chapter One, Healy expresses concern about how technology is shaping children's growing brains, saying "The younger the mind, the more malleable it is. The younger the technology is, the more unproven it is." She believes educators - and parents - should carefully consider the potential- and irrevocable - effects of this new electronic technology.

She calls this exposing of young children- generally, babies - age seven or eight -, a "vast and optimistic experiment," and that "It is well financed and enthusiasticlly supported by major corporations, the public at large, and government officials around the world." She says that there is no proof- or even convincing evidence- that it will be successful in enriching our youngster's minds and lives, or that society will benefit and education will be permanently changed for the better.

Far from being a "techno-phobe," Healy was, at one time, a big believer in the benefits of children using computers. But, after her hundreds of hours in the field, "picking the brains" of leaders in the field, and research, she has now come to the conclusion that we are rushing into something with "far too much money with too little thought," saying "It is past time to pause, reflect, and ask some probing questions."

She answers many questions in her book about computer use by children, such as how and when a child should begin using a computer, what kind of software is appropriate for different ages, which ones may be harmful, and why, and how do we balance education and entertainment.

Too often, Healy says, parents are seduced by "the glitz and novelty of this wondrous equipment." She adds that "Experience suggests we should temper our enchantment with a critical look at whether anything educational is really being accomplished."

This is a fascinating look at the effects computers have on children. While she acknowledges that there may be times when computers could be useful, they are seldom as helpful as many believe. She encourages parents and educators to take a long, hard look at what is passing for computer "learning," and to not be beguiled in thinking that our children are are really learning by merely "pressing some buttons."

For parents who are interested, there is a study guide in the back of the book that is helpful for those who wish to have a study group using this book, or to just get more out of it themselves.

This book was badly needed...Our parents, and schools, have been stumbling for years through this "digital jungle," trying to figure out what they're doing--lost that is. Healy cuts through this fog and points out how badly misused PCs are in most homes and schools--while offering helpful tips on getting them under control. She talks about the value of letting kids develop their imagination outside the computer and tv vs having them glued to a screen all the time...Yet she does find some useful uses for the computer in education, particularly for older kids who are more developed emotionally and educationally. Thisis a must read for any parent struggling with kids and computers. If you like this book be sure to check out Growing up Digital (Tapscot) and The PC Dads Guide to Becoming a Computer Smart Parent (Ivey/Bond), both providing revealing looks at the challenges of raising kids inthe Computer Age.

As a parent and public librarian interested in child development I often recommend this book to the parents of young children. The frequent comments from parents, teachers, professors, children and industry experts that appear throughout each chapter add to the evidence and personal examples of the dangers of over-exposure to computers for pre-schoolers and young children.

Failure to Connect is an excellent and extremely well written account of the potential dangers (and benefits) of using computers for teaching and for entertainment. Dr. Healy points out that there are a number of physical and developmental factors that we don't know enough about to entrust children to "cyber-development" -- and there's a lot of evidence showing the necessity for the presence of caring adults and physical learning environments in order for children to develop good thinking, motor, and social skills. The book's tone is never "anti-computer", but it is always "pro-human."

All right, all right. I get the point. "Computers are bad. They keep our children from learning. Yet adults keep buying them. Therefore adults are stupid." I've read almost this entire book and I am really getting the feeling that Healy is beating a dead horse - she keeps pushing the same points over and over. Her arguments have some credibility, and her examples are generally valid. However, as critical readers we need to examine her basic premises for validity. I think that her basic premises are over-stated and somewhat simplistic.

Although she wavers a bit, the basic premise of "Failure to Connect" is a genuine concern that computers have become an integral part of children's education without regard for their usefulness, educational value, or potential harm to children. These are real concerns. However she addresses these concerns anecdotally, rather than citing real vigorous research. This book is mainly a string of stories of her visits to this school and that school (lots of tax-deductible traveling - even to Hawaii!) with stories of little Susie or Brandon not learning from a computer, while clueless teachers, administrators, and parents hover nearby. Any effective software, or research showing benefits of computer-aided learning, is dismissed as "from the software companies". However, I had a tough time finding many references to valid academic research.

Also, over and over computers are blamed for not only preventing learning, but physically damaging our children. For example, in Chapter 4 "Computers and Our Children's Health" she bemoans the physical damage computers do to our children, while longing for the good old days of book-learning. However, couldn't the same arguments be made that reading books physically damages our children? Our bodies and minds have evolved to make us efficient hunters-gatherers. In nature, we focus most of our sight and energy to distant objects, hunting with an intense focus to any subtle sounds, smells, and sights that might show food or an enemy. However, with the introduction of reading and books children spend time alone (social deprivation) in quiet (deafness) artificially lighted rooms (blindness) huddled over (weakness) a book crammed against their faces. That is why so many children have poor vision, bad hearing, and are fat and weak. C'mon! Dr. Healy! Change is not necessarily bad. Humans are marvelous creatures who can ADAPT to change. And Adapt we will, because whether you like it or not computers are here to stay!

Here is another interesting thought. Take every argument, every horror story, and every warning in this book and transport it all back fifty years. Also, instead of "computers" substitute "slide rules". You will come to the conclusion that introducing slide rules into schools will prevent any real learning, while turning our children into mindless anti-social creatures.

However, I see some value to this book. As Educators who specialize in Information Technology, we MUST look at all innovations, technologies, software and hardware with a critical eye. We cannot accept ANY Educational Technology product at face value. We MUST look at a Product long and hard to determine if it has real educational value for our children, to see if it actually aids education, to see if it has any deleterious effect on these young and growing children, to determine if it is appealing to our vanity or a desire to take "the easy way out" of the difficult work of education, and to ascertain if it is money well spent. On this, I agree with Dr. Healy and her book "Failure to Connect".

(Forgive the tone of this piece. Reading this book - which its flabby lack of intellectual rigor - is making me cranky.)

FAILURE TO CONNECT explores learning with computers within the foundations of learning. Most innovators including computer innovators have forgotten the role of linear subject matter texts, expository writing, sequential order, structure, order, organization, systematic instruction, group recitations, time for reflection and deep processing, discipline, and hard work have played in their own education. These innovators think of grade school from their graduate school days -- even in those graduate days, they were not as UNORGANIZED, FRAGMENTED DISCONTINUOUS, and FREE WHEELING as the gimmicks and gadgets they want for learners today. Janet Healy recognizes this and warns parents, schoolpeople, and the general public that BRAINBUILDING needs an implement of learning that enables learners to embrace and wrestle down the meaning of the words-in-a -row that they are supposed to understand. This will not happen by clicking and clacking those keys as there is noit enough deep processing of relevant and orderly material found in that flickering text . Also, learners must receive a basic head of facts and ideas before going forth into the hobby of surfing the net. They will not learn from the dibs and dabs of fragmentary knowledge that they get from HUNTING AND PECKING around the net. Children must use their time more wisely than by CLICKING AT FLICKERING IMAGES AND TEXTS. FAILURE TO CONNECT has the wisdom of experience with this new toy that is trying to tell us that learning is fun and because this is the attitude of software manufacturers, ther is little that is useful in learning especially for the billions spent on this venture when there are learners in many schools without a book. You must read Janet Healy's book on computers to be convinced that computers stillhave along way to go befre we can call them a good learning implement-- especially when comopared with a book. All these reflections come from 30 years of teaching high school history -- I am sure glad that I did not learn history through clicking at flickers as I would not call that fun.

A careful reading of Jane Healy's Failure to Connect: How Computer's Affect Our Children's Minds-- for Better and Worse reveals many faults in logic, and we can only guess that her rationale for writing this kind of book is to capitalize on a parent's fear of the unknown.

For example, Dr. Healy groups all media forms (TV, videogames, the Internet and educational software) into one category called "computers" and then puts the whole mix on the level of "mind altering drugs," a possible cause of autism (p. 173) and even a reason for "experimentation with cigarettes and alcohol" (p. 83). She describes software as places where "children flit about in a colorful multimedia world" that can be "a recipe for a disorganized and undisciplined mind" (p. 54). Healy must tell us just what kind of software experience she thinks will have such negative effects on children. Her observations appear to be based on unnamed software titles (is it Tomb Raider or Oregon Trail?) and frightening quotes from anonymous informants like a "suburban mother of a seven-year-old."

Most offensive is how she underestimates young children and their own ability to know when they are being asked to use poorly designed software, or have simply been sitting too long and want to go outside to play in the backyard. Healy seems to think that children are little puppets, with rigid, fragile minds. She implies that this makes children easy prey for powerful, devious electronic multimedia wizards motivated by vast profits.

At times her desire to frighten the reader is so great that she is plainly inaccurate. In addition to her interesting discussion of autism, she makes the causal link between her own nearsightedness and her time at the computer and what can happen to young children. She cited evidence from one "developmental optometrist." Healy didn't see the report from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (the folks with medical degrees) that find "no convincing experimental or epidemiologic evidence of any organic damage to the eye" ...despite the millions of children who have been spending way too much time sitting inches from TVs and videogames. Her coverage of this very well researched issue helps the reader understand how weak Healy's argument is throughout her book.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has been watching this topic for years, and has released a position statement on the use of computers with young children. This is a much more balanced, rational perspective discredits most of Healy's book, and is useful for bringing this issue back into perspective. I urge you to also consider this body of research if you decide to read this book.

Warren Buckleitner, Editor Children's Software Revue

Failure to Connect is a book that discusses the implications of technology as it relates to the academic and social development of children. I believe this book raises some very important questions for both parents and educators when considering technological tools for children's use. This book poses tough questions that should be addressed to ensure that children are protected and correctly guided while using a computer. Dr. Healy expresses concern that too little time has been spent studying the effects of educational technology, which consequently, can cause greater harm than good.

Dr. Healy addresses the misconception that computers and educational software is the "key to successful student achievement". After countless hours in classrooms observing and talking to teachers and students, Dr. Healy suggests that perhaps many parents and educators "want to believe that technology is the `magic bullet' that will take care of problems in our education system that previously failed to be addressed" (p. 18). Consequently, she believes too much emphasis is placed on technology, taking away from the development of basic reading, math and problem solving skills.

The underlying question that surfaces throughout this book is "do computers and technology truly improve student learning and achievement?" According to the author, there is little evidence to support the use of technology as a necessity or benefit to student success (pp. 105-106). The author goes on to suggest that students, especially younger students, should be carefully monitored and limited in their computer use (p. 110). In her research, Dr. Healy found that students who spent large quantities of time on the computer: (1) did little work of educational value, (2) interacted minimally with others, and (3) reduced their attention, listening and problem solving skills (p. 40). Dr. Healy offers parents and educators guidelines to use that address the potentially damaging effect of prolonged computer use by children (p. 66).

Many of the questions about technology and learning, which parents and educators may not have contemplated, are addressed in this book. The examples provided by the author are relevant and provide insights and perspectives of parents, teachers and students. The author's passion and support for teaching and learning is evident as she encourages adults to attend to the intellectual and social needs of children as opposed to allowing technology to take over this role.

Dr. Healy provides a thorough, thought-provoking review of technology and its impact on learning. It is evident that more research is necessary in this field to establish best practices and standards for the use of technology for academic purposes. Based on this valuable information, the school community will likely have a different perspective of technology use in education. I strongly recommend this book to any parent or educator who wants to learn more about the implications of technology and the academic and social development of children.

I highly recommend this title to any parent, teacher or librarian that is concerned with the education of young children. It is a thoughtful and well-written examination of the issues surrounding the use of computers in education. All too often books of this type are nothing but sales pitches and "techno-babbble" from someone in the computer industry. This book is a wonderful exception.