I find I come from a different angle than most on this topic. To put it in context, I make my living off of computers, and am an engineer in the field, helping to develop new techniques and tools too.
However I hardly touched a computer until 12th grade. In the next three years I knew enough about computers to get a good job in the industry. Now I don't think I'm Gods gift to the computer industry or anything, and I'm not any brighter than the average guy. So it taught me a simple lesson. If your focused, you can learn everything you need to about computers in a relatively short time. So I don't resent not having too many computers in the schools growing up. I am much happier to have learned the basics, reading, writing, math (instead of how to plug in numbers on a calculator or computer), how to do *real* research (instead of typing a word into a search engine on the internet) etc. Because in the end, if you know your basics, transferring them to a new platform is a piece of cake (at least if you compare it to learning the basics). I certainly don't think computers are bad, I use them every day! But I highly question their benefit as a learning tool, especially in the lower grades in school. Working with a bunch of other engineers who all have degrees in math and computers, we gripe about this all the time. We see the knowledge gap in the interns! It pains us to hear stories like Kindergarteners and grade schoolers being required to work with computers. Ninths graders being required to have graphic calculators. That's a really stupid policy-they shouldn't have a calculator at all. They have plenty of time for that later. They need to start with the basics! It's a universal understanding at my job, that a lot of these policies about computer use is depriving the kids of what they really need to know. It's not too hard to teach someone to use a computer, but if you get stuck with someone who doesn't know reading writing and math, your in for a world of hurt! Tom Holtzleiter Kingfield _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
