Computers and education

Slate’s Ray Fisman has an article outlining some of the fallacies associated with the equation computers + kids = learning. The impetus for the article is a study of a Romanian program to supplement the purchase of personal computers for families with children. I haven’t had a chance to read the article, but I think Fisman makes some points that stand up independently of it.

Crayon Physics

I think I would play this game all the time:

Last week at SXSW, I saw a panel on using games in eLearning, and one of the points the panelists made stuck with me: games can be beneficial even if the object of the game—say, moving a ball across a screen—doesn’t have any overt educational goals. Imagine how much kids could learn about design, physics, and general problem-solving from a tool like this one.

via Slate