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"Kids Can't Use Computers" is now ten years old, and it's only gotten worse
(www.coding2learn.org)
this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
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They know how to use computers much better than when I was a kid. Ultimately I feel we fixate on every kid knowing computers at some enthusiast level for no reason.
Life is often about being just good enough to get by and we don't fixate on kids knowing other parts of their lives. Cars are a great example because most people take their car into a tire shop instead of doing it themselves. Most people buy food instead of growing or butchering it themselves.
Calling a level of knowledge "enthusiast" is super subjective and I think the author is arguing that bar should be higher. Being able to "use" a computer (IMO and the author's) should include things like connecting it to a network, reading error messages, following basic instructions, and knowing what basic hardware components do.
Drivers should know how to deal with a flat and check their oil. A lot of people don't, but they should.
People should know how to cook a decent meal from ingredients. A lot of people don't, but they should.
All the users that say shit like "make it work" for tools they use every day of their lives are under-educated IMO and should want to learn more about those tools and develop their skills further to make their daily lives easier. I don't really get why people don't.
I agree with all of your reasoning here that people should be more knowledgeable about what they use and rely on.
I guess maybe I come from a perspective on computers that this is ultimately optimistic and not real. Connecting to a network can mean so many things depending on the network involved and in some instances needs you to know your MAC address. While on Android now you can share wifi network credentials with a QR code now.
Yes, I want people to be more knowledgeable but I don't know how to make sure people are. People come out of more than a decade of education thinking the world is flat and that capitalism breeds innovation. (For clarity I believe that capitalism only breeds innovation in extracting profit and the world is an oblate spheroid.)
You're an oblate spheroid!
heh heh heh