Computers in schools? Of course!
We’re even bothering to ask the question?
Yeah, I guess we are. Or some people are, at any rate. People who haven’t moved their view and understanding of technology past about 1987.
Little Miss Attila’s take on the matter is, I think, more or less spot on:
Not for most of the papers we want them to write. We do need them to learn to dig facts and appropriate quotes out of long, dry texts, without having to have everything pre-digested. But that can be done with a screen and a keyboard. It doesn’t have to be written on index cards to be worthwhile.
In terms of using computers for research purposes and paper-writing, I completely agree with the point she’s making. Kids need to learn how to write by hand, and on a keyboard. And they need — need! — to learn how to research, both in a library full of shelves and with Google and Bing. Moreover, they need to learn what materials are appropriate to cite, and then in what context. They need to learn how to verify claims they see being made online. They need to learn the limits of Wikipedia’s efficacy as a repository of knowledge and fact.
But more than that, they need to learn how to use computers in general. And I’m not just talking about typing skills, or how to set up an email account. Put a web-enabled kiosk in the middle of a village in India and half the kids there will have email accounts within a month (this is not exaggeration, apparently; a similar experiment was evidently performed). Teaching kids about email these days is like teaching them about putting on clothes: it’s a basic skill, not advanced education.
No, I mean really teach kids about computers.
My wife’s youngest sister is still in school, and a couple of years ago her English teacher devoted an instructional unit to blogging. And he went into some depth about it; he set up a Wordpress MU installation on the school’s server, had each kid set up his or her own blog, and then handed out a list of other requirements that each student had to complete. This included:
- using SlideShare to generate embedable Flash content, and them embeding the result in a blog post
- podcasting and vodcasting
- online file storage and FTP
- content categorization
- online image management, and inserting images into blog posts
- collaborative blogging, commenting, using pingbacks and trackbacks, and blogroll development
There was more, as well, but these were the main points that the course touched on. I gather only a couple of students did really well, Grace’s sister being one of them, but despite the low rate if success…I thought it sounded like a great course! To my mind, that’s what a computer class should be teaching kids: how to really use a computer. I’d even suggest going further, by adding in some music, video and image editing material, at a minimum. Maybe even a bit of programming! Teach them about online/offline file, document and contact syncing. Teach them how to use “the cloud” to maximize their ability to stay in touch with people and keep on top of work. Teach them about Internet security and malware.
Yeah, I realize some of that falls into the realm of what we call “CTS” here in Alberta…but that’s the point! The current model — technology studies as a distinct entity from other courses –is outdated! Horribly outdated! There’s a strong argument to be made for integrating — or bridging — course content, especially technology studies pertaining to Computers.
I mean that…why NOT integrate as much computer usage as is possible into other courses (not just English)! Outside of school, and especially into college and/or careers, kids can expect to encounter ever-increasing levels and amounts of computer technology. So why not show them that technology’s full potential as part of their education?
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