What is meant by the term “real learning” could be debated by academics for centuries. Regardless of its true meaning, there is no question that technology has led to advances that have greatly improved the learning process, rather than distracting students from truly learning knowledge.

First of all, the statement “real learning” would seem to indicate that there is something called “unreal” or “fake” learning – truly an absurd statement. Rather than focusing on what is meant by this statement, it is far better to focus on the process of learning itself. Learning is accomplished at different stages of life, in different ways for different people. In the past, students learned primarily through communicating with their teachers and studying textbooks while sitting in a normal classroom situation with twenty or thirty other students. The successful education of millions of students in this manner points out that this has been a proper method for students in a learning situation. But as technology has developed, it would be foolish not to use those advances to enhance and improve the educational process.

Developments in technology should allow students to move forward with the rest of the world in the ways that they learn. Today’s students are growing up with computers in the home – they are computer literate from the time that they are old enough to sit at a computer keyboard. “Real learning” must certainly incorporate computer technology in the students’ education, as the use of a computer is an absolute must in today’s business environment. Failing to learn how to use a computer would sentence a student to a life of underachievement. The simple fact is that computers are an integral part of society - as important to people alive today as a pencil and paper were to students fifty years ago. It is hardly a distraction to teach children how to use a computer and the Internet - it is an absolute necessity.

Secondly, as technology develops, students must learn to master that technology, and what better place to learn this mastery than at school. There is not some type of division between what the student learns in school and what the student learns outside of the classroom. Schools and society are unavoidably and irreversibly intertwined. What is going on in society must be addressed inside the classroom to make children better able to deal with their lives when they are finished with school. Video, computers and the Internet simply give educators more tools to work with to teach students. Certainly there must be a balance found between normal classroom instruction and the use of these technologies, but when they are used properly they can tremendously enhance the educational process.

Finally, it should be noted that although video, computers and the Internet are unquestionably valuable tools in a student’s education, as with any tool, they must be used properly. Video programs must be chosen carefully, based on their educational value. Computer programs should be chosen equally carefully to ensure a proper education and not just used as a babysitter by the teachers. Use of the Internet should be supervised to make sure that students are using it properly for educational purposes. Technology is no substitute for good teachers and a proper learning environment, but video, computers and the Internet have so permeated society that it would be malpractice to leave them out of the educational system. The potential for distraction is certainly there, but “real learning” is undoubtedly enhanced through the use of technology.

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参考译文

尽管诸如录像、计算机和网络一类的创新表面上看起来给学校提供了教育学生的新方法，但是这些技术过于频繁地将学生的注意力从真正的学习上分散开来。

“真正意义上的学习”这一术语到底是什么意思，可以在学术界争论几百年。不管它的本质意义是什么，毫无疑问技术已经导致了学习过程的改善和进步，而并非分散学生学习真正知识的注意力。

首先，“真正意义上的学习”这一短语似乎暗示仍然存在着某种“不真的”或者“假的”学习——这真是一个荒寥的说法。我们且不论该术语的意思是什么，我们只须考察一下学习过程本身。学习是在一生中不同阶段完成的，不同的人用不同的方法来完成这一过程。过去，学生的学习基本上是坐在一个通常有二、三十人的教室里通过与老师的交流和通过研读教科书来完成的。数以百万计的学生的成功教育证明这种方法对于处在学习阶段的学生来说是行之有效的。但是，随着科学技术的发展，拒绝利用这些科技进步来提高和改善我们的学习过程无疑是愚蠢的。

科技的进步，可以使学生在他们的学习方法上与时俱进。今天的学生是伴随着家里的计算机成长起来的——他们自从能坐在计算机键盘旁边时就已经是精通计算机了。“真正意义上的学习”必然要把计算机技术融入学生的教育当中，正如计算机的使用是今天商务活动中的绝对必需品那样。学不会使用计算机将宣判学生一生无所成就。一个简单的实事就是，计算机已成为社会不可分割的一部分——它对于今天人们的重要性犹如铅笔和纸张对于50年前的人们那么重要。教会学生使用计算机和网络不是什么分散注意力——它是绝对必要的。

其次，随着科技的发展，学生应该学习掌握科学技术。那么，有什么地方比在学校学习科学技术更好的呢?学生在学校所学和在教室之外所学并没有什么分割。学校和社会不可避免且不可分割地交织在一起。在社会中所发生的一切，必须在教室里讲授，以便让孩子们在从学校毕业之际能更好地应付生活。录像、计算机和网络只不过给教育者提供了更多的教育学生的工具。当然，正常的课堂教育和这类技术的使用应该保持平衡，但是当它们被恰当地使用时，它们会极大地改进教育过程。

最后，应该注意到，录像、计算机和网络尽管在学生的教育过程中是宝贵的工具，但是与其它工具一样，必须适当地使用。录像节目应该根据其教育意义细心地挑选。计算机程序也应同样地进行选择以保证展开适当的教学，而不是仅仅被老师用作保姆。网络的使用应该被置于监督之下，以保证学生将其用于学习。技术并不能取代优秀的教师和适宜的学习环境。然而，录像、计算机和网络已经渗透到社会的各个层面。如果束之高阁，将它摈弃于教育体系之外，即就成了一种渎职行为。