“Mark Bauerlein, author of the bestselling book The Dumbest Generation, which contends that cyberculture is turning young people into know-nothings, says “the absence of technology” confuses kids faced with simple mechanical tasks.”
(You can't blame it all on technology. Much of it is LAZY parents that ALLOW this to dominate the lives of their kids.)
“But Bauerlein says there’s a second factor: “a loss of independence and a loss of initiative.” He says that growing up with cellphones and Google means kids don’t have to figure things out or solve problems any more. They can look up what they need online or call mom or dad for step-by-step instructions. And today’s helicopter parents are more than happy to oblige, whether their kids are 12 or 22.”
(Yes, NO initiative. No imagination. All these attributes lead to innovation. They don't figure out things. They buy a kit and all the parts are there and directions on how to assemble it and what they purpose is. There is no way they canimporvise on things unless it is laid out for them. They don't THINK! They just want to be entertained!)
“It’s the dependence factor, the unimaginability of life without the new technology, that is making kids less entrepreneurial, less initiative-oriented, less independent,” Bauerlein said.”
(Yes they are VERY dependent of the GROUP and what the GROUP CONCENSUS is. This is all part of collaborative training. It's all about PROCESS. They don't care about the RESULTS. They CARE about how the student is INTERACTING with otter students. You don't need to KNOW anything but you should know WHERE to go to GET THE ANSWERS.)
We have a disaster looming in front of us. Obama’s “Race to the Top” is even worse. Here he will get his wish of leveling GOOD STATES with higher standards DOWN. It's all a LEVELING DOWN using FEDERAL STANDARDS. State's Right are being circumvented so that you have NO CONTROL at all. If you live in New York, you're FEDERAL standard for your public school curriculum will be the same as if you live in Mass..
I distinctly recall Obama saying or reading a quote from him that stated he wanted it to be that if you are in fourth grade for example, and move to Texas midyear, you'll have the same federal standard for your books and curriculum. He couldn't understand why STATES should not all be the same. Naturally the leveling is DOWN. He is accomplishing this through the “Race to the Top”. In truth it is a Race to the Bottom.