Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!limbo!taylor From: daveb@comspec.uucp (Dave Berman) Newsgroups: comp.society Subject: Re: Teaching Children about Computers Message-ID: <958@limbo.Intuitive.Com> Date: 6 Jul 90 22:54:13 GMT Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com Organization: Comspec Communications Inc., Toronto Ontario Canada Lines: 123 Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com Dear Terri and Other Readers - Here are my gut reactions so far. 1. I am concerned about the very short class time. Having (say) 20 minutes to talk, and then 20 minutes for practical hands on, only once each week... wow, that could be the kiss of death to almost any subject. I fear that by accepting these restrictions, and not doing something to artificially augment the class time (say, computer club), you could be setting yourself up for failure, or at least, much frustration. If computers were more like hammers, staplers, telephones, or banking machines, your task would be lighter. Computers are so general purpose and open ended. Look at all of the choices for what to learn, what to teach: Programming? Using? Machine Centred? Human Centred? Culture Centred? Fast? Slow? Boring? Etc? Not Etc? I RECOMMEND YOU ADDRESS THIS TIME PROBLEM: a) Try to double your available class times, to twice per week. Even this could reduce the wear and tear on you (you all). You who must prepare day plans, weighted tests, and otherwise, make sure the kids learn something which can be measured at the end of the term. b) Reduce your expectations to the mere skeleton of what you might have been considering at the outset. What thought on computers would you convey, so that it is remembered until next week, with only 20 minutes to elaborate? ^^^^^^^^^^ c) Discipline will be important for both you and the young students. In Toronto's public schools, even the best and strongest teachers have trouble maintaining order in class enough to make their point(s). Computer hands on classes have these problems more so since (with some arrangements) the students have permission to work on (and work out) their problems/assignments, so they *Talk*To*One*Another* while their teacher is trying to address the other half of the class. *Beware* a 40 minute class each week leaves very little room for a wasted week due to disorder. (Your plan to have the teacher around is a good idea. At my seminars, I try to conscript as many helpers as possible to circulate). May I suggest: 15 minutes to the Entire Class, 15 minutes to group A students hands on, then 15 minutes group B students hands on (the alternate group prepares what they will do when the get to the machine next). 2. Random Ideas a) Do you want to introduce the young ones to lots and lots of stuff? This could work of you don't try to teach them how to actually use lots and lots of stuff. (I don't like the lots and lots concept) b) Do you want them to use the programs you teach at school, at home? Then use reliable(*) Shareware, or Public Domain programs instead of commercial stuff. The cost will be *significantly* less, and no one will get in trouble when you distribute copies to (interested) students according the author's rules (such as, include the entire distribution disk). EDUCORP comes to mind. * Reliable: Order your shareware from the author, or from very safe legitimate sources. You don't want "Viruses, Computer" on the curriculum. When you get copies of software 'from a friend', you can be getting contacts from all of the 'acquaintances' your friend has met. C-STDs: Computer Software Transmitted Diseases. c) Will the children be saving their work? Be sure the school store has reliable and economical disks for sale in single units (not entire boxes, neccesarily). d) Consider Experienced Students as Helpers This could do all participants much good. If you could plan the right benefits for the Helpers (in our school, years ago, such helpers were given evening and weekend access to the system for their assistance). e) Plan how the room(s) will be arranged with care 1) Do you want the computers around the outside edge? Or do you want all of the students to look toward the front of the class? Are the desks going to have enough clear space for papers with prepared notes near the computers? 2) Anti theft gadgets been considered? Stolen equipment can ruin your plans. So can lost or stolen program disks. 3) How many printers are in the room? Do you have any ideas on how to handle the rush at the end of the class when everyone wants to print their work out? One product for helping you: simple device for connecting many computers to one printer (We here manufacture one called 'Microshare'). Another product: the printer buffer, takes a print job from the computer very quickly so the printer can take its time printing it (so the next student prints, then the next, then the next... we make one of these as well...) 4) Electricity. Make sure the entire workstation (computer, screen, printer, any-thing-else-connected) are also plugged into the same circuit, as close as possible together. I recommend a single power bar (switched power outlet strip) for each individual workstation. If you can afford it, get the good ones with some surge protection against Power anomalies. 5) Are the units connected together already into any 'network' or something? Would it help you if it were (or if it weren't)? Good things about networks are: programs sit on a central computer which serves it out to the other stations, one software installation is often enough to set it up for the entire class. Bad things list is much longer: the system becomes much more UnReliable, the computer(s) won't run exactly as they would have without the network, someone is going to have to care for 'network administration' (keeping and changing of passwords, classrooms, allowed files, cleaning shared disk space, and other sundry headaches), electrical troubles affect the entire network (not just one station). I could continue, but I think I have said plenty already. (I wonder what flames will come to me...). I will watch comp.society weekly for what happens here, or EMail or Fax to get me more reliably. I hope this is practical for you, Terri. Let me know. Dave Berman uunet!mnetor!becker!comspec!daveb