Are Computers the Film Strips of the 90s?

Children & the Internet Standards Close Schools Textbooks

Latino Dropout Rate LEARN Zacarias Appointment Belmont Learning Center

In this month's Atlantic Monthly, Todd Openheimer argues that our educational priorities have be skewed by the romance of computer technology. Read the article, then share your response with the Learning Exchange

Books, Basic Skills Just as Valuable as Computers Larry Wiener Teacher, Alhambra School District I think computers have some use in schools, but I would hate for students to become too dependent on them. Yes, students need to learn to do research on the Internet, but they also need to learn to research books. Yes, students need to learn to use a spellchecker, but they also need to learn to spell correctly and proofread their work without a computerized grammar checker. Programs such as the Carmen Sandiego series and the Oregon trail are of great benefit to students because they help them develop critical thinking, general information, research skills, and other valuable skills. They do not replace a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of Puritan society. Games such as Number Munchers are great enrichment tools, but do not replace basic instructions. As in so many areas, we need balance here. We need to employ computers to do what they do best while also teaching students to do important tasks without the assistance of a computer. If my own experience is any indication, I did not touch a computer until after the age of 30 and have mastered it pretty well. The reason I was able to do that was because I was pretty good at reading, writing, and adding, so I could adapt my basic skills to the new environment. I think there's something to be said for that. Top Computers: Revolutionary or Evolutionary? Louise Yount Latona Avenue School I used to think that the computers would not "revolutionize" education and still do in a way. I have to remember two important issues. First: the children do need to become computer literate to succeed. And secondly: The WWW just might revolutionize our society and world in ways that we can only imagine. Do first graders need modems to hook up to the web? Will they be able to become competitive in society if they do not? Hmmmm? Top Computers Should be Used as Learning Tools Gerald Popperwell Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Schools I believe that computers are tools to make learning more easily accomplished by students. Students can use them to access information that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Computers can free a student to be creative in ways unique to the medium. Computers enable students to share learning with others. Any teacher who looks at the list of choices would immediately see that the comparisons are wrong. Computers should be compared to encyclopedias, to libraries, to newspapers, to television and any other information tools used in the classroom. Computer knowledge does not replace any of the subject area skills, with the one notable exception of spelling, which a computer can do very much better that most people. I have dedicated my educational career of 35 years to bringing computers into the classroom (among other things). I started with a timeshare setup in the '60s and now have a classroom full of computers. The use of computers has made the instructional time more productive and enhanced all of the regular core curriculum. For a few, I also teach some programming skills. This past year I had a couple of fifth student learning C++ and Visual Basic. This was outside of the regular school program. For one of these boys, it was his first major school success and it encouraged him to do even better during his regular class time. Computers are a vital link to the future, and the kids we serve deserve to have free access to this tool. Top The Computer is Not a Magic Pill Laurence D. Cohen Back in the late 1980's, when my wife was studying for her masters degree in computer education, I told her that I thought the value of computers in education was being oversold and that the results would end up being disappointing. I have been involved with computers for over 30 years in my past work as an actuary. I have done everything from mainframe programming to microcomputer programming, to being the administrator of a corporate local area network. I have used computers very extensively to accomplish my work as an actuary over many years, and the computer is a very valuable tool in both the business world and the scientific world. I've taught computer courses in the public schools and I currently teach adult classes in computer applications. The computer is, however, not a good tool for teaching the thinking and analytical skills necessary for students in the primary grades. The computer can be a very valuable tool for gathering information from worldwide sources. The computational power of modern microcomputers can put very powerful analytical tools in the hands of our students. However, they have to be educated to understand what they are doing, and why they are doing it. The computer is no magic pill for education. Students will still have to do the difficult work of learning under the guidance of dedicated and skillful teachers. I love using computers and use mine every day, but I have no illusions that computers will revolutionize education. Top

| Home | Teachers | News | Surfing the Net | Web Sites | Member Services | About LAEP |