In my view we short change students by chasing the latest technology and
programs.
The computer students need is an individual laptop. They would use this
to keep their schedules, make notes, keep journals and do assignments.
It makes me ill when I go into a school on the leading edge of
integrating computers into instruction and see students doing the first
draft of stories by hand. The reason is there aren't enough computers.
There aren't enough because, the equipment is top of the line. The best
computer and the fanciest program is worthless if you can't use it to do
your work.
The only way that each student is going to have a laptop is by purchasing
obsolete technology as it is disappearing from the market. Even if you
don't agree with the laptop scenario, to integrate computers into
curriculum deliver will require at least a computer for every 3 or 4
students. There aren't enough dollars to do it at the bleeding edge.
--Larry Phillips ljp@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca (403) 473-8623
Make Quantum 2000 happen!