Education and Computing最新文献

Many minority students in the United States are entering higher education with less expertise and experience in using the new academic tools than majority culture students. The lack of computer competence can become an additional barrier, (in addition to the fiscal, cultural and educational barriers) to their successful pursuit and completion of an academic degree program. This paper discusses: the rapid changes which are taking place in the use of computers and related technologies in higher education institutions; the potential impact of present inequities in pre-college access and use of computers experienced by minority students, particularly Black, Hispanic and American Indian students; and strategies and recommendations to enhance the computer competence of minority students in institutions of higher education and public schools.

Educational change does not occur easily. Intensive and long-standing efforts are necessary. Such efforts are happening in many countries, particularly with reference to technology as a stimulus for the change. But are these efforts resulting in real changes in schools? In this paper we will describe four areas of change: (a) the curriculum, (b) the role of the teacher, (c) the school structure and (d) student learning. The paper reflects on the impact of intensive computer use on each of these areas using observations from a “technology-enriched school” project that is currently underway (1989–1992) in the Netherlands.

International cooperation in new information technology (NIT) projects often shows certain typical problems. In this paper it is argued that these problems are not NIT-specific: the implementation of technology brings to light already existing problems which were previously hidden.

The classical model of teaching, in which the Master is surrounded by his Disciples, has been handed down to us from Greek civilization. It is still deeply embedded in our minds, even in the minds of those living in nonwestern societies. Education is usually organized on the basis of this model: the teacher is at the centre. At first computers did not change the hierarchy of this classical communication scheme: the teacher was “in the computer”. But as soon as the new technologies enabled learners to have direct access to large sets of information and to communicate “horizontally” with each others, the classical model of education began falling apart. The teacher is not any longer the only one with the key to knowledge. Distance education will influence the traditional structures of education by posing crucial questions. How to make the learner the centre of the learning process? How to organize mass education without the constraints of a limited number of classrooms, of teachers, of students?

In education, neither the future needs nor the innovations required, can be predicted. However, this does not mean that the alternative to planning (based on uncertainty) is day-to-day reaction to technological changes in informatics. The impact of informatics on the organization of education can be planned by “backward calculation and forward action”; i.e. specifying the future stance required, calculating backwards from this position to the present day identifying the steps needed, and then planning each step in turn. Educational institutions have a two-fold obligation to develop the principle of “backward calculation and forward action”: an obligation to adapt informatics to educational requirements, and an obligation to train people to use informatics to satisfy their own needs.

It has been at least ten years since computers were introduced into French schools on a significant scale. They are used for several purposes, mainly for vocational training and administrative activities. They are still “tools for specialists” for a lot of teachers.

This paper first lists the main possible uses of computers in secondary schools. On the basis of the results of research carried out during the year 1989 by the author for the French ministery of education, it then describes which of those uses have been put into practice in French schools and which have not. Finally, after pointing out the pitfalls which hinder the development of better computer use in schools, a list of possible short term actions is provided, as well as some important research questions.

Information technology has enabled a revolution in the management and delivery of learning systems in vocational education and training. Government-supported developments in the UK have recently spawned the Open College and the Open Polytechnic alongside the better-known Open University. At the same time secondary schools are seeking closer partnerships with industry to secure greater relevance for their courses and better preparation of young people for a high technology future.

Underpinning these changes are two key trends. The first is the establishment of a national curriculum and a coherent system of vocational qualifications based on industry requirements and standards. The second is the move to release the full energy and commitment of individuals by shifting the emphasis from teaching and lecturing to learning. This learner-centred movement has flourished through the progressive application of informatics to education and training. This paper describes successful implementation in the UK to date and prospects for the future.

What is informatics? It is both a pure and an application oriented science. The combination of applied informatics, i.e. informatics technology, with other related technologies is known as Information Technology. Applications of information technology play an important role in society and are also found in education. Current problems in society and education have much in common and may have similar solutions. In these solutions information technology plays a supportive role. However, characteristics of traditional educational organization hinder necessary innovation. Key issues concerning informatics and educational organization are:

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  the societal push of education towards an information technology supported, client-centred organization

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  the reorganization of education possibly being a necessary prerequisite for successful innovation. This paper addresses both of these issues.