book review - 'High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer Contrarian'

Book title: High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer
Contrarian

Author: Clifford Stoll

ISBN: 0385489765

The title doesn't tell us this, but in this slim volume, Stoll gives us a skeptical look at computing in the classroom. He unflinchingly questions the assumptions thrown around by the proponents of the technology. This isn't a scholarly work, and isn't trying to be such. If you have ever had doubts about the efficacy of computers in the classroom, this is an excellent starter book. Written in a light and breezy style, you can finish it in a few hours and have plenty of time to reflect on his opinions.

Stoll asks important questions. Why are we worried about digital literacy when our kids are barely literate at all? Shouldn't we be more concerned with ensuring that they can construct an essay and do basic mathematics? Is it more important for kids to learn how to make an effective oral presentation, or be able to put together a snazzy PowerPoint presentation?

A few things about the book bothered me. It occasionally was repetitive. The light and breezy style was too breezy in some places. I found it ironic that he complained about poor writing skills of schoolchildren, but consistently used incomplete sentences throughout the book. I understand that it was a stylistic choice, but it was a choice that annoyed me.

In all, I would recommend it to anyone who has encountered computers in the classroom. Society needs to seriously consider why we have invested so much time, effort, and money to wire all of our classrooms. Could that money have been more effectively spent on more teachers, more varied educational programs, more musical instruments?

Related links:
Clifford Stoll's personal homepage
Amazon's page about this book