Building User Communities (long)

From: Marvin <marvin_at_rain.org>
Date: Sat Jul 5 10:40:02 1997

Sam Ismail wrote:
>
> On Fri, 4 Jul 1997, Uncle Roger wrote:
> > computers, they could do a lot of good. Maybe even working with teachers or
> > youth programs to make the computers available, and the kids *WILL* use
> > them. I've seen it happen and I know it makes a difference. (My living

> Unfortunately, teachers won't use them in schools because they simply are
> not PCs, and the curriculum is intended to teach the kids skills which are
> directly applicable to the real world. Now I'm sure you could argue that

This is kind of off topic, but I have been working with several people
over the past 5 years or so to put low end computers in the classroom.
The main problem is the administration and their perceptions. Second,
the teachers are generally not trained on how to effectively use
computers in the classroom. Stepping on soapbox, effective use of
computers in the classroom is NOT, repeat NOT, for teaching how to use
computers, but rather to help learn other subjects. i.e. we use books in
classrooms but not to learn how to use books. Stepping off soapbox.

Hmmm, maybe it isn't off topic since the computers we put in the
classrooms (approximately 100 or so) were mainly PC's (4.77 MHz, 5 slot,
circa 1981 machines) donated by local businesses who didn't want to just
junk them.
Received on Sat Jul 05 1997 - 10:40:02 BST