Title/Author Computers and Learning; Helping Children acquire thinking skills/ Underwood, ! D! "! # Underwood, $!

page # / Topic
(pp. 7-11). /

A Technology %andwagon or an educational opportunity&

Publishing Details $reat %ritain' "P$ %illing and Sons (td! )*++,-

Quote .Patric/ Suppes predicted that de0elopments in educational technology, and speci1ically in computer usage, would change the 1ace o1 education in a 0ery short time!2 .A tool which can be used interacti0ely, presenting materials in no0el ways not easily a0ailable through other media, and with the 1le3ibility to adapt to di11erent learning and teaching styles!2 .Seymour Papert, also e3presses ambitious aims 1or classroom computers, suggesting that we can abandon the wor/sheet curriculum and con1idently allow children4s minds to de0elop through e3ploration o1 computer5stimulated 6microworlds4 )Papert, *+7*-!2 .Academic researchers in both the Arts and Sciences ha0e responded to the bene1its that micro5technology can bring8!2 .There is classroom become instruments old goals perhaps e11iciency!2 some ris/ that computers may 0ery 1amiliar by which only our are achie0ed, with greater

Summary The boo/ is about how computers can greatly in1luence the way o1 learning in the classroom! 9t tac/les topics and issues that are lac/ing in education and how computers can help the educational system and also discusses the ad0antages and disad0antages o1 the use o1 technology in the classroom setting!

.we can change the ways in which children thin/ through the use o1 computers, but this is not the same as gi0ing

/eyboard 1amiliarity and 9T awareness!2 ."any people consider this to be a 0ital piece o1 e:uipment 1or e11ecti0e wor/ with young or less able children!2 .the children 1ound the e3perience o1 de0eloping, manipulating and reproducing te3t to a pro1essional standard to be 0ery satis1ying!2 .Despite the massi0e in;ection o1 resources the impact o1 the technology appears to be minimal! <ducation appears to ha0e changed 0ery little!2 .The computer may be seen as enriching the learning en0ironment, but at the same time it is a scarce resource which teachers must allocate with care! Allocation is o1ten on a principle o1 natural ;ustice )61air5shares51or5all4- unless the child beha0es in such a way as to warrant withdrawal o1 the pri0ilege, e0en i1 that pre0ents the use o1 e3citing materials8!2 .9t is the lac/ o1 1ood so1tware that is 1re:uently cited by teachers as a reason 1or their reluctance to incorporate computer5based learning )=%(- techni:ues into their own classroom practice!2 .teachers are also disappointed because they cannot 1ind so1tware to meet a speci1ic curriculum goal!2

.The assumption that =%( is no more e11ecti0e than traditional teaching is one that can be challenged e11ecti0ely with research!2 .the :uestions arising out o1 the spread o1 new technologies into the classroom are not ;ust those o1 how to put traditional lessons onto the machine in an e11icient and economical manner, e0en though much o1 the current research is directed towards the end!2 .91 we are to achie0e the potential which led Patric/ Suppes to anticipate an educational re0olution, and 1or Seymour Papert to imagine how it might be achie0ed through stimulated microworlds, then we will need to do more than create computer5based 0ersions o1 our e3isting lessons!2 .The role that we gi0e the computer will determine the limits o1 our achie0ement with it!2 .to some e3tent this is a 1uAAy distinction)6the use o1 the computer as an instructional tool within the broadest school curriculum4-2 =omputers entered schools in the *+?,s but was restricted to a small group o1 teachers and selected children! =omputers general

)pp! >5?- / @hat4s the use o1 classroom computers&!

application during the *+?,s was not recogniAed! The late *+B,s was the start o1 the popularity o1 the use o1 computers 1or the classroom! The computer was initially the ob;ect o1 study in its own right, either through 6awareness6 or 6literacy4 courses or through computer studies courses, or an instructional tool in mathematics! C well5worn arguments on the inclusion o1 6computer studies4 as a school curriculum sub;ect' *st)need 1or societal and 0ocational rele0ance, a theme in the mind o1 politicians-' =omputers play and increasing role in our e0eryday li0es, and our children should be educated in their use and in their principles o1 operation, in preparation 1or their encounters with them in the wor/place and elsewhere! )the teaching o1 programmingThere is little merit in educating children to become wal/ing encyclopedias, 1or our society needs problem5sol0ers who ha0e access both to the in1ormation rele0ant to a problem and to the routines 1or sol0ing it! "achines can remember 1acts better than people can, and so we should rely upon the machines 1or the storage o1 1acts, and rely upon

p!?,/ @hy put in1ormation technology into schools& D <ducation and in1ormation5 handling s/ills

people 1or problem5sol0ing! %e1ore we select the so1tware we need to as/ oursel0es about our educational philosophy! The computer is a power1ul instrument which may be used to stimulate and support a number o1 educational goals D but which one should we choose& This is a critical :uestion, 1or the choices we ma/e about the use o1 the computer may ha0e pro1ound e11ects, not only upon the de0elopment o1 children4s minds, but also upon education itsel1! The computer is not a passi0e addition to the classroom; it is not a neutral blac/ bo3! 9t is 0ersatile, and because o1 its ability to support many educational philiosophies it 1orces us to re1lect acti0ely upon which 1orm o1 education we want 1or our children! At intellectual, social, economic and pragmatic le0els, computers are a challenge to current educational practice! p!?,/ @hy put in1ormation technology in schools& D @hat4s the use o1 classroom computers& E1ten acti0ities in the classroom which appear to be concentrating on using the computer as an instructional tool are in reality geared to gi0ing children hands5on e3perience with the computer!

<ither mode ).ease o1 use2 D good 1or no0ices and .e11iciency and 1le3ibility o1 use2 D good 1or e3perts- will produce di11iculties 1or one group o1 users .@e are all drawn to the most ob0ious rather than the most signi1icant 1eature o1 an ob;ect!2 The user becomes 1amiliar with how the medium is used and problems o1 beginners disappear a1ter a 1ew wee/s o1 using the medium! "entioned the ad0antages and disad0antages o1 numerical coding through the .sound in the en0ironment2 program anet Spa0old )*+7+study! .=oding is machine5e11icient' it reduces memory usage and aids search speeds!2 .=oding, howe0er can lead to a reduction in transparency o1 the in1ormation to hand and as such can reduce children4s understanding o1 the material under decision!2 9n Spa0old )*+7+- study, it was mentioned in the article that the children who participated in the study .showed great 1acility with their codings2 and their .depth o1 immersion8 was e3ceptional2

Training to Teach; A Guide for Students (2nd edition) / Denby, F!)<d!-,

)P!C7* D C+G- / "a/ing Sensible Use o1 9=T by =raw1ord, H! # "c=omish, !,

$reat %ritain' "P$ %oo/s $roup!

.9=T is embedded in the curriculum in both 9nitial Teacher <ducation )9T<- and in almost all sub;ects taught in schools and colleges! This is because it /nown to ha0e a positi0e impact on pupils4 moti0ation, learning and standard o1 their wor/ )Dymo/e, C,,+; (eas/ and Pachler, C,,I; "ullamaa, C,*,; E1sted, C,,I-!2 .in the classroom, 9=T enhances presentation s/ills and enables access to a 0ery wide range o1 resources and in1ormation! As a result, pupils need to /now how to discriminate between reliable and less trustworthy sources o1 in1ormation and should be encouraged to constantly challenge the 0alidity o1 all materials accessed!2 .9=T should be used to support and e3tend pupils4 learning and it should be embedded in a coherent learning e3perience! "ost teachers use 9=T 1or sound pedagogical; reasons, and are 0ery o1ten in0enti0e in its use! They are able to bring new ideas to learning acti0ities in both sub;ect being taught and in pupils4 e3periences o1 the sensible application o1 9=T s/ills! Some areas o1 the curriculum are more reluctant to engage with new technology, pre1erring a more traditional approach!

9t is a compilation o1 articles that are about 0aluable /nowledge 1or soon to be teachers on 0arious topics!

@hen you as/ pupils to use 9=T in the classroom, you should ma/e sure they ha0e the necessary 9=T s/ills be1orehand; otherwise pupils4 inade:uate use o1 the so1tware could limit their creati0e talent! 9=T can ma/e learning easier and more attracti0e! 9=T moti0ates pupils to learn and signi1icantly e3tend what they can do! 9nteracti0e so1tware does not tire o1 waiting 1or a response and a pupils can be gi0en immediate 1eedbac/! 9=T is able to accommodate the needs o1 all types o1 learners, including learners with disabilities! 9=T supports open, independent and 1le3ible learning! 9=T supports sharing and collaboration 9=T can be used to promote di0ersity and mutual understanding 9=T helps teachers organise learning resources and ma/e them more widely a0ailable, 1or e3ample, using a Jirtual (earning <n0ironment )J(<-! 9=T encourages teachers to personalise learning!

Pupils can learn dynamically how /nowledge is organised! 9=T a11ects pupils4 employment prospects! Use 9=T when it supports and impro0es teaching and learning! 91 you bolt 9=T onto a lesson in order to use 9=T because you are obliged to do so, then it is much less li/ely to be success1ul! This traditional teacher5 centred approach D with teachers as 6gods o1 /nowledge4 D is directly con1ronted by 9=T! 9=T shi1ts the 1ocus o1 teachers4 e11orts and enables pupils to direct their own learning and research! Kour 1unction is to guide pupils4 learning so that it is producti0e and e11ecti0e!