I disagree somewhat. Computer/keyboarding experience is still something of
a luxury.
As a "teacher in the trenches" (last year of 28 G6 students, and previously
of running of dinosauric computer lab) the students that came to me and the
equipment with which we were supposed to work meant that, true enhancement
of the curriculum (using the computer as a tool of learning) could rarely
take place. We had to spend the early part of the year on basic
keyboarding, only had one computer block per week, didn't have enough
computers for a full class therefore had to keep rotating students and
grouping.
Letting them become aware of what a computer could do had to be more lecture
styled learning and hands on of examples, rather than hands-on themselves.
Making connections with the environment around them
We had numerous technical problems with old equipment, I am sure tht I now
have a two year + degree in paper cliplogy, trying to get old discs out of
disc drives.
All the time school and district budgets are being trimmed even further,
meaning less money available for equipment. Never mind WWW eplorations?
However having been pessimistic, when given an old donated 2400 baud modem
and using one phone line, with a small group of students exploration of the
world in a Gifted Social Studies programme, shrunk the world. The students
perception of the world and communications just exploded over the course of
just two weeks.
> Even Internet experience is being had by the little tikes.
True, for those that are fincially comfortable enough to do so.
>Spreadsheets and database management apps are good for all sorts of
>scientific experiments, and even teaching history is amenable to database
>management tools. The Internet is great for gathering every kind of data,
>and word processors should be used for creating reports across the
>curriculum. (I'm a bit old fashioned, I know, but I still believe kids
>in the early grades should learn how to print, write, and calculate in
>their minds or on paper.
I agree, first there was the slate and chalk, then paper and pencil, then
the typewriter, now??????!! Anyway having said that if we can get students
to think critically and to question, does it really matter what tools they use?
Pam Hagen
phagen@direct.ca
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" Albert Einstein