Website by Debbie Goldberg at 12: 10 p. m. on August 4, 1998IDG)--
Track the Progress of the Iditarod dog sled race across Alaska, 11-year-
Old Rachel Todd and her classmates
Florida, soaked Oviedo, logs into the Internet every day to get news, and then moves the homemade model sled to a new location in the car.
City Street from United, New Jersey, 17-year-old Francesca Amato
Email her teacher to get her help on math issues that high school seniors don't quite understand.
In Philadelphia, second.
Grade chef
Westsahiken Primary School uses computer and design laboratories to study local deer problems and propose solutions.
From one end of the country to the other, the school is taking on the challenge of bringing technology into the classroom and trying to figure out how to deal with it once it reaches the classroom.
At this brave new high
In the world of science and technology, art teachers can take students to the Louvre in Paris to see the Mona Lisa. young musicians can create symphonies on computer keyboards, and science classes can take-to-the-
Minute data for the NASA project.
For most baby boomers, a stateof-the-
The meaning of the art classroom is a projector, a public
Address systems and television sets are occasionally used for educational programs.
Now look at the Red Hook School in New York, each teacher has a laptop and each classroom has access to the World Wide Web.
Because the school district wants the whole class to be able to use computers at once, it invests in laptops that are easily shared in classes on the same floor.
There is a large monitor in each room and the teacher uses the remote control to access video, satellite, cable and laser
Disc technology from the school district Media Distribution Center without leaving students.
"The system provides information where and when it is needed, and the money we spend gets the most value," said Edward zajaz, Jr . "
Assistant to the school principal.
Many people think that schools like Red Hook are the future of education.
The "technical literacy challenge" launched by President Bill Clinton called for every classroom in the country to be equipped with modern multimedia computers and access to the Internet by 2001.
Many schools are on their way to achieving these goals. In the 1996-
School year 97, 6.
3 million computers are used in teaching in the United States. S.
Public schools, up to 186-
According to the latest data retrieved from market data, which is a few percent higher than five years ago, the data retrieval investigates the use of technology in schools.
More computers mean less children per share. -Average 7.
In 199697, there were 3 students per computer and 19 students.
According to market data retrieval, there were 2 students at each terminal five years ago.
Internet access-
Tickets to the information superhighway-
Also growing rapidly.
Last fall, 78% of public schools had at least one computer connected to the Internet, and 27% of classrooms, according to US data, only 3% of classrooms connected to the Internet in 1994. S.
Ministry of Education (DOE).
However, there is still a long way to go before students in each classroom can access the Internet.
While the increase in computer and internet connectivity is good news, access to technology varies greatly between countries, schools and even grades.
Having a large number of computers does not necessarily mean having a good one.
Many schools that are happy to accept old computers find themselves stuck with old computers, which are slow and cost more to maintain and can only run outdated software programs.
The only way to know what's going on in your child's school technology field is to ask the technical coordinator or principal some basic questions like: how many students are there per computer?
Do students use computers in groups or individually?
How much time do students spend using high-tech tools?
Is The Computer new enough to run the latest software program?
Are these computers located in classrooms that can easily incorporate technology into the course, or are they queued for occasional use in computer labs?
But with space
The Age equipment in the classroom is not enough.
The real problem, experts say, is how schools use the technology.
If students simply learn basic word processing skills-
Still write the report by hand and then type or add a beautiful cover with the computer ---
Or use the "drill and kill" software program to practice the math problem of rote memorization. high technology may waste resources.
"If you introduce these technologies and don't think about how to use them in advance to promote learning and skills acquisition, then the only thing that the school will change is the electricity bill, "David Thornburg, director of Thornburg Center, a California-based company that studies educational technology trends, warned.
"Parents need to ask what computers are used to do and what the goals are," suggested Martha Stone ViSK, director of the Center for Educational Technology at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
"I 've seen a lot of schools buying tech equipment but haven't come up with a reasonable way to take advantage of them yet.
"Don't expect computers to replace basic things.
Stone Wiske, for example, said that using a word processor can not only help students organize writing, but also express themselves more vividly, but also reduce the burden of modifying their work.
But, she warned, "If we don't teach children how to write, children may write more with computers, not better.
"Another factor is how comfortable the teacher is ---
Especially those who went to college before the technological revolution. -
Use high-
Technical equipment.
Although the National Accreditation Committee for teacher education sets new technical standards for teachers
A survey by the US Department of Energy found that only 20% of current teachers regularly use computers for teaching.
Not all educators believe in the benefits of technology.
In fact, there is no evidence of high use
Only technical equipment can improve students' performance, improve their test scores, or prepare more children for Ivy League schools, which are one of the traditional criteria for measuring students' success. Barbara, of the technology learning center at SRI International, a research firm in Menlo Park, California, said.
Considering the high cost of purchasing and maintaining technology-
Schools will cost more than $5 billion this year. -
Why should we care if children use computers in the classroom?
Debbie Goldberg lives in Pennsylvania and often writes about education.
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