Computers

8 Pages 2078 Words

people have already learned to use computers without the benefit of school instruction. If the schools do nothing, most of the population will know how to use computers in the next 10 years, just as most of the population learned how to drive cars without school instruction.” The argument isn’t against computers; it’s against the blind-faith rush to spend vast sums to pack schools with them. The same schools, often enough, where classroom size overwhelms any chance for learning, where programs for the arts and sports are the first to be cut. For some schools this is a stumbling block, but for most the matter has been resolved. Parents want what is best for their children and often they are willing to chip in on the extra costs. If that means higher taxes or school fees then it’s a price they will pay to invest in their child’s education. Not only is there the argument of whether or not computers are necessary in the classroom, but which type of computers the children should use, the Mac or the PC. Many parents argue that school should prepare children for the workplace, where Macs are a rarity. Parents also say that it’s more convenient if their children can come home from school and pop a disk in to their home PC. Michael Lorion, Apple computer’s Vice President for education says, “there is a significant difference between how technology is used in schools and how it is used in business.” In the workplace, he argues, a computer is primarily used for word processing, e-mail, and access to databases, whereas in the classroom it can be a powerful tool for collaborative learning. Also, by the time today’s fifth grader enters the work force, windows may have given way to Java or maybe even an entirely different lan...