A
I love my Blackberry mobile phone---- it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me. I also love my computer, as it holds all of my writing and thoughts. However, I know there are times when I need to move away from these things and truly communicate with others.
On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters in college. My goals for the class include a deep discussion of historical subjects and ideas. Because I want students to fully study the material and discuss with each other in the classroom, I have a rule---no computers, iPads, phones, etc. When students were told my rule, some of them were not happy.
Most students think my reasons for this rule include negative experiences in the past when students made wrong use of technology. There’s a bit of truth to that. I’ve seldom had students make wrong use of technology in my classes; however, I have been e-mailed by students while they were in other teachers’ classrooms.
Some students think that I am anti-technology. There’s no truth in that at all. As I noted above, I love technology and try to keep up with it.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversations and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions (中断) by technology often break students’ thoughts and make them depend too much on outside information for ideas. I want my students to dig deep in themselves for ideas. I want them to push each other to think differently and to make connections between the course material and the class discussion.
I have been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations show student satisfaction with the environment that I create. Students realize with deep conversation and difficult tasks, they learn at a deeper level --- a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom.
I am not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I will continue my plan. A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up.
21. What do you know about the author according to the passage？
A. He is a higher education manager.
B. He despises (鄙视) love of technology.
C. He prefers to put aside digital devices sometimes.
D. He uses laptop to have a discussion of historical themes.
22. Some of the students in the history class were unhappy with ________.
A. the course material B. others’ misuse of technology
C. discussion topics D. the author’s class regulations
23 The underlined word “engage” in para. 4 probably means ________.
A. explore B. accept C. change D. reject
24. According to the author, the use of technology in the classroom may ________.
A. keep students from doing independent thinking
B. encourage students to have in-depth conversations
C. help students to better understand complex ideas
D. affect students’ concentration on course evaluation
