Introduction
Cultural tools facilitate the learning process by using everything available, including books, media, and technologies, as well as psychological tools such as language, signs, and various symbols. While such tools play a crucial role in the cognitive development of individuals because they facilitate assimilation and accommodation, it is necessary to look at the other side of the argument.
From the perspective of cultures, students from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds may have different views on classroom behavior, and interactions between students and teachers, as well as varied opinions on the role and value of education (Seifert and Sutton). This means that subjecting all students to the same standards and expectations of learning may hinder their individual progress because cultural characteristics do play a role in their learning development.
Discussion
When analyzing the role of various cultural tools, concrete items include computers, digital spell checks, calculators, and other gadgets that facilitate learning. Their role has been increasing alongside the advancement of technologies, with students relying on them more consistently than in the past. However, if to look at such a tool as a calculator, there are examples when it stunts learning. For instance, students may confuse the “+” and “x” keys on the calculator, thus getting incorrect results and remembering them incorrectly.
In simple mathematics, memorizing the multiplication table is a much more effective and efficient strategy compared to depending on the calculator. Moreover, basic knowledge in this area allows for building new knowledge on top of what is already known. In a similar perspective, the complete reliance on spelling correction without basic knowledge of grammar may impede learning and cause issues when the option is not available to students, such as in writing by hand. While such cultural tools make some processes more accessible, in some cases, they limit the capability of learners to remember basic skills that are necessary to have.
More abstract cultural guidelines, which range from writing style to the limitation of sources to peer-reviewed references for academic work, represent standards of good academic performance according to many teachers. However, they do stifle learning because of the imposition of strict guidelines, the reduction of which could result in increased creativity and freedom when doing research.
For instance, there may be significant publications in online publications such as The New York Times, The Economist, Harvard Business Review, and many others. Besides, there are non-peer-reviewed sources that students may be missing even though they contain valuable knowledge that can be used in research. While such a cultural tool is not harmful to learning, it could be made more flexible to allow for all-rounded learning using diverse sources.
Conclusion
To conclude, any cultural tools that are used in learning have their limitations because they impose certain standards and expectations onto students. While the majority of them are established to ensure successful student learning and development, they should not be used strictly but rather represent guidelines or suggestions.
When students are given the opportunity to learn independently in some contexts, they are more likely to foster greater levels of creativity and flexibility and become well-rounded individuals. In the future, it is expected that new cultural tools will emerge, and the dependence on technologies will increase further. However, it is important to achieve balance in their use for the successful development of learners.
Works Cited
Seifert, Kelvin, and Rosemary Sutton. Educational Psychology. 2nd ed., Pressbooks, 2010, Web.