Computers in Schools

When I was school, computers were tools of the science/math class. We Apple ]['s and TRS-80's. IBM weren't around yet. We learned BASIC and

LOGO - to introduce us to how computers work.

Nowadays, who cares how a computer works? It just does, and does so amazing fast. Not only that - they are everywhere.

Also, they were NOT connected to each other. Not even the computer sitting on the same table. Whatever they did came from YOU or floppy discs. NO HARD DRIVES!

So, the question I ask is, how are computers used in your classes and schools? Are they in EVERY class? Are they all connected? Is learning programming required? suggested? avoided?

Please differentiate between Elementary, Jr High, Senior High, College, and Trade School.

Tags: computers, internet, schools

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Permalink Reply by Rob Sammons on June 10, 2007 at 9:34am: i live in the uk
and there is loads of computers
atleast one in each room
in some around 10 - 15
and they have interacitve whiteboards in every room aswell
which most teachers find useful

hower they all run on windows
which doesnt please me
and they allow me to use my ibook for most lessons; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Derek on June 10, 2007 at 9:54am: Is any "school" specific software required, or does it matter? Like do you "have" to use MS Word? Do you hand in computer files or printouts as assignments?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike McKinstry on June 10, 2007 at 2:38pm: I also live in the UK and I am in the America equivalent of senior high

and we also unfortunately use windows computer oh well!:D

They are all networked so sharing work is easy....programming is not even taught and neither is HTML. Shame! Definitely avoided. we have computers in every class and also have interactive whiteboards in most classes. I don't like the way at my school the computer department avoid exposing pupils to other operating systems such as Linux mac etc it is all windows...But to prove the point, the computer technicians use dual boot computers running OS X and some Linux distribution, proving that obviously other OS's are better oh well!

In the art department all the computers are Mac's which makes sense as they are amazing for creative work!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cole Roberts on June 11, 2007 at 9:12am: Computers in high school, the computers are connected via Network with two servers, one for Private use and the other for Internet use; Each computer is a 2.5GHZ Intel Pentium 4 with HT. Our school provides the basics from Typing to Advanced Macromedia (Adobe) Flash Programming in Actionscript. No they are not in EVERY class; most though, and programming is not required. To take programming you must complete all the prerequisites.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bryce Maruk on June 11, 2007 at 5:33pm: I go to high school in Canada, and computers seem to be appearing more and more frequently. We have PC's running XP in the library and the computer labs (approx. 200 in total), and eMacs and new iMacs running in the Comm Tech (for photography, video, graphic, etc.) room. All of them are networked through each student's account. The Macs run more interactive software such as Photoshop, Freehand, and Flash, while the PC's basically only run Microsoft Office.
The one major issue with the computers is the administration's decision to block the majority of the internet. Understandably, game, pornographic, and generally inappropriate sites are blocked, but the most recent block is quite debatable. They've decided to block every image search engine possible (Google images, Yahoo, etc.) making them impossible to access without a password or proxy (which results in an instant suspension). They believe that it is too easy to access inappropriate material this way, but that is why search filters were invented, weren't they?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cole Roberts on June 11, 2007 at 7:11pm: If you have a M3 Flash drive from Memorex you can load its built in Firefox browser and surf the web. Works for me at least.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bryce Maruk on June 11, 2007 at 8:17pm: mmm, That sounds like it would work perfectly. I'll have to consider it for next year. I'm not in desperation to go on the internet at school, but thanks for the idea!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bzzzt on July 4, 2007 at 11:02am: Lucky Yous ... I went to school in Poland where a computer was something seen in a book, and programming was something that "Is done by the most briliant minds in our Country, so forget about it". I had luck and I went to computer class (after classes) where they teached us DOS basics, LOGO (yep, you gotta love the turtle) and TAG (whoever knows that text editor now hands up oldies) but this has it's advantages, we wer like hungry pack of wolves when we got our first private PC lerning everything from the binary system to the volage of the fans :D Not much changed in schools (basic and middle education) nowadays, the lucky ones get to know what IE is and how to use google, enough to start their own education, the less lucky ... well ... they will be the "second class citizens" dependant on those who know PC's; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Megan on July 4, 2007 at 5:33pm: I'm going to be a junior in high school next year, and I hate the way our computers are set up. I'm pretty sure every room has at least one computer, counting the one for the teacher. The way my school is set up, there are three networks. There's the main one. Our school has six halls, a-f. All the computers in a, b, c, and e are conected, while d and f are one different networks or domains or whatever they're called. Making three in all. If you save a file in d hall, then you won't be able to access that file in any oher hall but d hall. It gets really irritating if you've got noting better to do in class, and you have a project you could be working on, but you can't get the files you need. Though, I think its set up this way so that it won't over load or something.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by natalie on July 10, 2007 at 5:25pm: we have so many computers in our schools. each person has there own account and there are so many comupters but not all of them work.the tecnogly classes have enoungh tablet laptops for everyone and with other 800 kids in our class its still hard.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Derek on July 10, 2007 at 5:40pm: Thanks for all the comments. I wish that I had a tenth of the stuff today back when I started. I personally think I'd be a better programmer if I had disk drives when I was REALLY into it. I had to use cassettes to store my stuff, and it was long ordeal. It was also NOT reliable saves either - things could get corrupted. Then you lost everything. Disks were almost in the same boat, but it saved much faster, thus allowing you to perhaps save another copy (ie: program1 and program2); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by rodrigo guzman on July 10, 2007 at 8:00pm: well i live in mexico , there is no new tecnology in the public education in my country, now in these days they still teaching kids about logo and basics , i remember wen i was in jr high we did not have mouse in the computers and we just to write in works (wich is the the first version of word).
its wrong that kinds these days do not appreciate the importance of the computers and how they make ours lives easier , they dont see the the importance of this machine they just see computers like a tv or a radio , a entertainment device .
but what is good is that in your country you have a good education level and you guys use actual tecnology to teach kinds what is the programs and tecniques that we use in this days.; ▶ Reply to This