Re: How to Get the Most from Computers in the Classroom

[Peter Milbury <pmilbury@ERICIR.SYR.EDU>]

Dear Colleagues,

On Thu, 6 Aug 1998, Anton Ninno wrote:
> Yarnell writes, "Roughly 80 percent of American schools had Internet
> access by last year, according to the United States Department of
> Education, and about a quarter of those schools had access directly in the
> classroom.

Isn't it striking how some writers, and even educational policy makers at
the U.S. Department of Education are able to generalize from such thin
"data"? This sort of article makes me want to barf! Don't they have better
things to do? How about asking some of the right questions at least!

It is absurd to make gross generalizations from the data cited above.  So
what if most schools have access! A Mac-SE or IBM-AT located in the
principal's office is of very little help or meaning to the rest of the
school!

It is extremely important to also know the quality of the school's access,
the speed of the connection and the power of the online computers, not to
mention the amount of training the the teachers and students have received
in the use of the Internet. It is also critical to know how many
opportunities the teachers and students have *together* online, where they
can work on a given activity, lesson or unit. Or, how about the
availability of trained technology teachers, mentors and support staff,
network support personnel, or other such aides?

These trendy little articles and reports never seem to mention such
things. I doubt that answers to many of these questions, and other
important aspects that are not mentioned here, are available to or being
considered by those who set policy for Internet use in schools. They have
arrive late on the scene, and seem determined to exert their
territoriality, despite the fact that they are on unfamiliar terrain!

It is far too early for a thoughtful, considered, informed or legitimate
"rising backlash against computer spending by schools" to occur. Those who
complain are either wanting to get into the research funding stream,
neanderthal technophobics, laggards who balk at anything new, or jealous
that they didn't think of it first.

Those of us who are out here in the schools, trying to give our students
experience with the same tools used in business and industry, have enough
to do already without having to deal with technophobic reactionaries.

I wonder how the rest of our members feel when they read such reports and
articles?

Peter Milbury                          pmilbury@cusd.chico.k12.ca.us

Librarian-Mentor Teacher      http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/~pmilbury
American Memory Fellow:  Library Of Congress - National Digital Library
Chico High School, Chico, CA 95926     http://dewey.chs.chico.k12.ca.us
A National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished School 530-891-3036
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