The Computer Delusion

This article by Ted Oppenheimer brought up a lot of interesting points about the purpose and presence of technology in our schools. I was surprised to see that his findings showed that several teachers thought that students' understanding of technology was more important than their knowledge of more traditional subjects, ie: history, sciences, etc. Oppenheimer also stated that school districts are putting so much money towards new technology programs, that other things are being dropped such as music and art programs. Shop and home economic classes are practically extinct due to the rise in offered technology courses.
Now don't get me wrong; I am a huge advocate in providing students with the most up to date technology available. I also believe that educators using technology to support lessons is essential in today's visual world. However, I think there still needs to be a balance between the use of technology and the teaching of practical life skills and the arts. The two creative outlets need to work hand-in-hand and students need to be given the opportunity to choose which they prefer.