The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap (Book & CD-ROM)

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 may have once had some of this, but it has now been replaced by ...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 ...


Positive Points from Seymour A. Papert's Generation Gap book   May 23, 2000
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.


EDC-571 Linda Hermans   May 23, 2000
 0 out of 3 found this review helpful

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.


EDUC571- HERMANS   May 23, 2000
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

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.


My view of Seymour Papert's book   May 22, 2000
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

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.