Re: Why Apple II?

[danb@a.crl.com (Dan Brown)]

avsystem@rain.org (Adrian Vance) wrote:

>   There is still a place, and need, for a simple computer in education.  
>Apple II could have been forever.

	This really gets at the proper role of the computer in education.
Many people use the computer as another tool, to help teach reading,
math, writing, or whatever.  An Apple II will fill this need as well
as it always has, though no better--if some administrator decides that
the kids need a multimedia, interactive-video math program, he
probably won't find it on an Apple II.

	Computers of any kind are excellent for drill-and-practice work, since
(1) they don't get bored, and (2) the questions can be different every
time, as can the order.  The desirability of drill-and-practice is
another question entirely, though it appears to be useful at least for
elementary mathematics.

	Another view of the computer's place in the classroom is that computer
education should be an end in itself.  The goal isn't to teach the
students to use a word processor, or a spreadsheet, or a database;
it's to teach the students how to use "the computer" (as though that
can be separated from the others).  Proponents of this view argue that
since computers are pervading our society, people should know how to
use them, at least in a general sense.  Normally, the tendency is to
push for the most modern, up-to-date hardware for this application,
even though the same concepts can be taught on most any computer.

--
Dan Brown, KE6MKS
danb@a.crl.com, NOT danb@crl.com
Don't tread on me.