Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!agate!ucbvax!dewey.soe.berkeley.edu!thom From: thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (Thom Gillespie) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: Against educational fads (was: math credit) Message-ID: <39937@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Date: 7 Dec 90 02:14:26 GMT References: <15404@cs.utexas.edu> <15425@cs.utexas.edu> <15488@cs.utexas.edu> Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Thom Gillespie) Organization: School of Education, UC-Berkeley Lines: 55 In article <15488@cs.utexas.edu> turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes: >----- >In article marlowe@paul.rutgers.edu (Thomas Marlowe) writes: >> Some individuals (of whom I was one) may have problems in writing >> (that is, pen-and-ink, or even typewriter), not because of mental >> disorganization or confusion, but because of perceptual difficulties >> which make it hard to FORM THE LETTERS, or emotional difficulties >> which make it hard to commit anything to paper. These individuals >> can be helped enormously by the availablity of mechanical devices, >> and can make the difference between quality assignments and no >> assignments at all. > >Mr Marlowe is, of course, correct. What are conveniences for some >are necessities for others. > >I don't want people to misunderstand what I am saying. I think >word processors are great. Almost all of my writing is done with >word processors or text editors. But, with the exception that >Mr Marlowe notes, these are not essential to primary and secondary >education. Teaching students how to write *is* essential. > >It's like the difference between airconditioners and brakes in >cars. Airconditioners are great. Living in Texas, I think every >car ought to have one. But brakes are essential. > >Russell There are a variety of ways to 'teach students how to write'. One is the grunt and groan method with paper , eraser, and tears , a newer one is with a word processor. IBM has a program which is amazing called "Write to Read". I've seen it used with kids as young as 5 -- it is amazing. It uses the computer along with the traditional methods to teach writing, costs money but is much more effective 'Teaching students how to write'; There was a study done by BBN called the Quill project. One of the sights was in Rural Alaska, I think the school teacher was named Bonnie Bless. They quantified how many words kids used in their stories before they were introduced to word processing. The difference was considerable as you'd expect. Using a word processor like WriteNow with a spell checker is amazing with kids. My son, who is one of those kids with a physical problem writing, loves to use the word processor, writes more and better with it, and always uses the spell checker because it has a button called "guess" -- he thinks it's a game. Great motivator. The earlier you introduce the correct tool , the better. For writing the tool is the word processor. Kindergarten is early enough for most kids. All this back to the basics talk is junk. What the basics are is anyones guess and usually they leave out art and music. If you've ever heard Alan Kay talk about kids and computers he always refers to music -- he's a musician -- his whole basis for the Dynabook is the 'flute', the ultimate fanatsy amplifier. Russel et al seem to relegate computing/programming to the drivers ed approach of education, something that can occur whenever. If it is media than it must occur early. Just 'another' point of view Russ, not yours obviously. Get airconditioned! Thom Gillespie Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com