Flu vs. School

  As many of us aready know, many people are getting sick.  This makes it really inconvenient for school and learning.   Brian, wrote on how to sove this issue.  His post is called, "So How Could I Still Teach My Students If School Was Cancelled?"  He brings up some excelent points on how to conect learning with the Internet.  He thinks we could use tools like wiki, blogs, and moodle.  I see his points and the benifits with all these kids missing school now, but don't really believe that is a foolproof solution.  I think the Internet is a great tool, and that it would be most helpful if our school was shut down for the flu or something.  However, I think the Internet takes away lots of true learning.  When I say true learning I mean that the kids fully understand what they need to understand.  On the Internet we have so many tools that lots of times there is no need to do any work at all.  Spark Notes are a great example.  There is no need to read the actual book if you use Spark Notes because they give you summaries and quotes.  Where are our standards?  If we become competely dependent on the Internet, then how will we measure actual academic progress?
        
Now this doesn't necessarily aply to sickness, but the Internet and the tools on there are by nature inpersonal.  There is no face to face contact.  Many kids need face to face contact and kinetic activities to thoroughly learn something.  The Internet does not meet those needs.  When he says that we would use things that our kids already know how to use, that is not completely true.  Many, includuing myself, do not know how to use some of the modern Internet technologies.  The Internet would indeed be useful when you are sick to find out assignments and class learnings, but blogs and wiki spaces I think take everything over the top and do not always help our learning.