"Silicon Snake Oil"

Silicon Snake Oil was written in 1995 by Clifford Stoll.  In this book he reveals his concerns over the negative impact of computer use in our society.  Below you will find five quotes from his book.  Following each quote you will find my response and suggestions of  how teachers can mitigate these negative claims by Stoll ... and how we can promote a safe and effective use of technology.

"Does the internet really bring us together... or does it isolate us from each other?"
   
    It is easy to argue that the internet does isolate us from each other because technology is getting to the point where people do not have to leave their house to do anything.  HOWEVER, I disagree...  I believe that in many cases the internet actually allows people to stay closer and remain in touch.  Personally if it were not for the internet, I would have lost touch with many of my friends and family when I moved.  With the incredibly fast paced world that we live in now a days, the internet provides an easy way to stay in touch.

"Information available over the Internet is often stale, incomplete, misleading, unreviewed, or simply wrong. "

    Truthfully, there is a lot of information on the internet that is biased, misleading, and unreliable.  However, there is also a lot of correct, and useful information.  It is very important for teachers to educate the students on how to sift through the garbage to find the real information.  Teachers need to model how to refine searches, and how to be aware of biased information.  Students must understand that they need to be critical thinkers and that they need to be careful of what information they get off the internet.


"E-mail is clumsy, inefficient, and impersonal. It appears to be free, yet is actually quite expensive, and can be much slower than ordinary postal mail. "

    I would have to definitely disagree with this statement.   I think email has become a very effective tool in keeping people in contact with others.  There is not a quicker, easier, or cheaper way to stay in touch.  A lot of teachers, students, and others in the school system use email to send and receive messages on a regular basis.  As for the being impersonal, a lot of people are actually more comfortable using email because they have time to think, and they can put all of their thoughts down in writing. 
  

"Suppose the network replaces newspapers, books, libraries, and teachers. Is that a good thing?"

    Teachers, books, and Libraries will not be replaced by the network.  The network can actually help teachers and libraries do their jobs better.  The internet helps us gain access to information in newspapers, books, magazines, and journals more easily.  The internet did not replace the material...  it just made the material easier to get.


"Face to face meetings are far more meaningful -- and valuable -- than disembodied network interactions."

    I do agree that face to face meetings are the best and probably the  most meaningful way to communicate with another person... BUT now with the internet someone right here in our area has the opportunity to meet with a person in Tokyo, or London, or just across the state ... anywhere around the world that they choose.  With today's advanced technology, you can have a web conference and it is almost like you are face to face.  How else could you talk to many people in different countries or states all in the same day?
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