Patrick Amos

English 100

Section 16

Even though computers are working their way into everyday life do they need to be in schools? We all know what computers do to make schoolwork easier, but at what cost? Does having computers in the school and in the everyday curriculum interfere with a child's creative process, his imagination, the way he thinks on his own? Those are the questions that we should ask when we discuss the impact of incorporating technology into education.

Michael Apple, a professor of educational studies at the University of Wisconsin argues that the incorporation of computers into schools has an impact but not always the positive impact we might think. He believed that businesses had a reason for incorporating computers into schools, which is to benefit corporate America. Apple taught that people were not asking the ethical questions before incorporating computers into schools, and that computers in the schools would widen the rift between the classes in America society. He also worried about the teachers, he believed that teachers were not getting the training or the time to learn how to use computers. And that the teachers were overwhelm with the work of teaching their own curriculum and the computer's curriculum. Apple believed that we should slow down and take a long look before integrating computers into the schools.

It no secret that computers are moving into the schools at a fast pace. Prominent companies like IBM, Bell South, and the Annenberg Foundation have contributed or pledged millions of dollars to public schools. These grants are used to integrate computers into the school systems successfully. The money from these grants is very useful to the schools because computers can do a lot of good, but why are they giving this money. Some people believe that these companies are just trying to give back to the community to do a little good. While others think that the companies are donating all this money installing computers into the school system because they are trying to get people who loyal to there product.

Either way these companies don't lose money because they make it up in the long run, from all the people they are conditioning during childhood. These children who buy lots of these computers products get hooked as they grow up. Get them while their young because it's easier to hold on to them in the future.

But computers aren't all bad. They can do a lot of good like bring countries together and make it possible to educate children all over the world. For example in two articles from the New York Times "A Field Trip Via the Web to the World of the Maya" and "Internet Is Nurturing Home Schooling". In these two articles the authors show how a computer is helpful to teachers and their teaching methods. In the essay "Internet Is Nurturing Home Schooling" the author report about a small village in Alaska. This village started with only 160 students but with the help of the Internet and some companies it has over 2000 students. Big changes for a little village like this, and all because of the Internet. Not all students go directly to the school though; some are taught at home on their computers. These children wake up and log on to the net, getting their homework and help from the teacher because this is the only education that these kids can get.

Another benefit was stated in the other article 'A Field Trip via the Web to the World of the Maya", where the showed how you could stay in the classroom and visit far off countries. These are great attributes because you can get a first hand knowledge of countries and traditions that you were not accessible to you before.

But at what cost? It takes money to fund such new ways of teaching. Sure the kids are getting an education but from what? Teachers must first have to learn how to use these computers. Without the teachers getting the information to these students, would not be possible. As one reporter for the New York Times said, "unless educators devote more resources to other essentials, most notably Internet training for teachers, the investment could prove a costly failure"(Mendels, Pamela "study Faults Net training for Teachers." Cybertimes http://search.nytimes.com/books/search/bin/fastweb?getdoc+cyber-lib+cyber-lib+16623+11++education (17 July. 1997)). More simply people and corporations are spending millions dollars bringing computers into the school, but are not paying for teachers to learn how to use them.

Teachers aren't just instructors, people who teach students solely how to read and write they are people who teach you how to use your imagination and creativeness. By having the students learning off computers, the students can lose a great gift that a teachers tries to give to these kids.

But even with the great benefits that computers in the school can give to the students. Is it worth the risk to live off them? I agree with some aspects of the Internet and having it at school. But in today's world a child is always on a computer and slowly losing themselves in the world of cyberspace.

A computer in the classroom or just in the learning environment can be a great accessory for all students. And now, with the new age coming soon, everyone needs to know how to use a computer. But computers and the Internet should not be in their everyday curriculum. Student mostly younger kids should learn how to think and do things on their own and not on a computer, and never lose their imagination and their creative-ness because of technology.

Just like Michael Apple I believe that computer in schools can be a great help for kids today, but I believe that like Apple that people and parents should ask some questions of the ethical and moral implications of having computers in the classroom.