R Nitelight
Her Rock
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Computers And Education
- Thread starter R Nitelight
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p_p_man
The 'Euro' European
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Mmmmm....
...interesting and there's a ring of truth in the article. I've noticed as a bystander that kids just don't seem to be as computer literate as we were told they would be once they were exposed to the technological revolution. They reach a certain level very quickly and then stick there not able or willing to progress any further.
Apart from those youngsters who have a genuine interest in computers and all that they can do, I tend to agree with the article.
A garden, or something similar that would give kids a hands on learning experience would be money better spent. But it's not only about money, it's about learning in real terms rather than cyberspace ones.
I count myself lucky to have been interested in the machines since I saw my first primitive one in 1978ish. From the word go they fascinated me to such an extent that I took various adult education courses from programming to systems to graphic design and beyond. Not because I had any intention of using my knowledge in any way but because I had an overwhelming desire to learn all I could about the capabilities of computers themselves.
All this taught me the downside of using them as well as the benefits. Unfortunately people of my age (wrong side of 50) who are in positions to decide the educational policies of the young seem to be precisely those who believe that computers are the answer to everything. I feel safe in saying here that we all know they are not.
Schools in the UK have this hang up about computers. They must have more. And now the Internet is being used to further their cause. It doesn't matter whether the kids are benefiting from them it's now a question of not falling behind in the "Internet Race".
And to think that when I was a boy I used to make model aeroplane (with balsa wood - you know the ones that fly?)
...interesting and there's a ring of truth in the article. I've noticed as a bystander that kids just don't seem to be as computer literate as we were told they would be once they were exposed to the technological revolution. They reach a certain level very quickly and then stick there not able or willing to progress any further.
Apart from those youngsters who have a genuine interest in computers and all that they can do, I tend to agree with the article.
A garden, or something similar that would give kids a hands on learning experience would be money better spent. But it's not only about money, it's about learning in real terms rather than cyberspace ones.
I count myself lucky to have been interested in the machines since I saw my first primitive one in 1978ish. From the word go they fascinated me to such an extent that I took various adult education courses from programming to systems to graphic design and beyond. Not because I had any intention of using my knowledge in any way but because I had an overwhelming desire to learn all I could about the capabilities of computers themselves.
All this taught me the downside of using them as well as the benefits. Unfortunately people of my age (wrong side of 50) who are in positions to decide the educational policies of the young seem to be precisely those who believe that computers are the answer to everything. I feel safe in saying here that we all know they are not.
Schools in the UK have this hang up about computers. They must have more. And now the Internet is being used to further their cause. It doesn't matter whether the kids are benefiting from them it's now a question of not falling behind in the "Internet Race".
And to think that when I was a boy I used to make model aeroplane (with balsa wood - you know the ones that fly?)
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