Page 10 - Priorities 4

■ What equipment does a student need to enter this information age?
In my opinion? A computer (with monitor and printer), maybe a CD drive, and access to the Internet. Aparent hasbeentellingmeaboutnewtechnolo- gy that will provide basic functions such as word pro-
cessing, a desktop organizer and a calculator, and Internetaccess,foraround$500. Somethinglikethis will make basic technology very accessible to every- body, because it is uncomplicated and low-cost.
■ How might an assignment be different from a stu- dent’s point of view, using information technology? I saw a student’s report on Martin Luther that
illustrates the difference. This student could have done just a standard written report and handed it in. Whathedidinsteadwas,onthecomputer, createan outlineofMartinLuther’sconcepts, illustrated with maps from the Internet, and followed up with a quiz at the end. This piece of work was a good learning experience for him, and he can put it on the world wideweb forotherstudentsandteacherstouse.Our students are building their own web pages now — thereisnoreasontheycan’tmake linkstoworklike this that is worthy of being shared.
Let’s talk through what this student had to do. He had to think of the best medium to both find and present his information. He had to focus his research. He had to organize his data. He had to write. This medium forces writing and research skills because students want to take pride in their work when it will be shared with a bigger audience than one teacher. I love the example from another school about some hotshot chemistry students who began editing their on-line work more carefully when a third-grader wrote and politely requested a clarification of their incorrect grammar!
The process intrigued the student who did the Martin Luther report because he could do it all on his own. He could pull together a variety of resources quicklybyusingtheInternet. Studentsfindoutthat they can get the most current information, and they cansometimesreachexpertsdirectly. Adultssome-
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times find computers frustrating, but students usual- ly find them liberating. To a student, the Internet is more easily accessible and perhaps less intimidating than libraryresources.
■ Does incorporating computer technology and Internet research change the role of the teacher?
The teacher is necessary in all the usual ways. Computers are just one part of a big picture. But I think we should stop thinking of ourselves as the sub- ject experts and start thinking of ourselves more as coaches and guides where information is concerned. We will not control the information students learn. They can find new information faster than we can. We can give them perspective and help them learn to evaluate what they find. We can give them assign- ments that help them grow in these skills. Alan Kay, oneoftheinventorsoftheGraphicUser Interface, said that the biggest task is to teach students how to discern the worthwhile information from the useless.
■ People worry about kids finding inappropriate material or about gee-whiz technology overshadow- ing real learning. Is this a problem?
Security is obviously a concern. At Woodside Priory we will have our own server, which gives us good control. We can shut out web sites we don’t want students to locate, like the Playboy site or other inappropriate sites. Chat rooms can be a waste of time, or inappropriate , or quite valuable if in a for- eign language or about subjects of interest to stu- dents. They can promote written expression. During school, students are busy and they are supervised. Students in chat rooms would be there with a teach- er’s knowledge as part of a project.
On gee-whiz technology, I haven’t personally seen technology overemphasized to the detriment of better quality learning. For one thing, technology is improv- ing. Educational software is getting better. The Internet is more accessible. We are getting better at using all of it. Do you know any jobs that don’t require computer literacy? I don’t.
“People today have to to be willing to be life-long learners, to be prepared to reach into fields of knowledge they never imagined they would be using.”