Stoll effectively asked everyone in the room to consider their own roles in helping or hindering the theory that computers help us to communicate. Remain skeptical to eradicate the droning buzz that technology can become if unchecked, he said. Stoll really focused on exposing a society, which is might be a little too eager to prove that computers can improve human nature. To relate this simplest of philosophies, Stoll vividly went into such topics as truth, tracking a hacker, the evils of computers in school, and the joys of invisible technology. This last topic was especially relevant to the conference.
Good technology is invisible.
In classrooms, kids who have access to computers will have fun with them perhaps, but Stoll challenged the audience to remember the names of three instructional videos versus the names of three instructional teachers. The point was well taken. As proof of his own success communicating with the audience, Stoll received a raucous standing ovation upon the end of his talk. I think I can safely guess that my fellow attendees felt the same. 2001 CMP Media Inc. All rights reserved.