grunwald@uiucdcsb.UUCP (12/21/84)
Why on earth would anyone want to teach a child to program? Most children in schools find it difficult to conceptualize fractions, much less bits and numbers in different bases. I once had a store clerk who was going to ADD the dimensions of a mirror to compute the square footage. After correcting him (dumb! dumb!) he wouldn't believe me until he had looked it up in his little Book of Square Feet. Is this guy going to be help by a computer? Only if it makes him realise the beauty and import of math, science, literature, philosophy, history and the like. These are the essentials of life, without which no man can claim to be wise. Computers are tools to aid in the solution of problems, tools which can, it is true, unlock the mind. But a mind which can not concieve of problems, can not formulate problems, can not research a problem to determine if it has been solved, can not debate about problems --- that is not a mind which needs a computer. I know that's not a popular opinion these days in educational circles since "computer literacy" is being stressed so much, but one must ask to what tasks the literate will be put? Certainly the engineers and buisnessmen of the future will use computers, but they will not depend on them. A computer can not yet design a product line, it can not yet design a bridge, it can not create sonnets or write essays. Instead of giving them a lab full of expensive equipment, give them a good dictionary (far less exciting, but much more useful for the majority), a tour of a great library and an explination of how to use the resources in it, a survey of modern math and an understanding that knowlegde and learning can be exciting and is the challange that always lies unconqured. That's certainly much more difficult than giving them a computer, but I think you would be doing them a bigger service. If giving the kidlings a computer can promote this end, then fine. But don't lose sight of the ends to justify the means.
jab@uokvax.UUCP (12/26/84)
/***** uokvax:net.college / uwvax!brian / 2:27 am Dec 17, 1984 */ Logic is certainly the most important word here. The ability to arrive at a conclusion given some inputs. /* ---------- */ This discussion started, I believe, with the question "in what areas should ALL incoming college Freshmen have a background?" One person responded that "a good knowledge of English (which implies at least one other language)" and also that "discrete math" (or somesuch) was important. Brian cited "logic" (above). I agree that the ability to think clearly and to express one's thoughts on paper is most important. I can't agree that tormenting a student with logic symbols (the upside-down "A" meaning "for every" and the backwards "E" for "there exists" and so on) and silly rules of logic are the way to his mind. (I recall a particular class entitled "Discrete Math" with horror; a class I took the next semester from the Math department, which was an "Intro to Proofs," made much more sense. (Imagine: proofs written in English!)) I wonder if a vocal music major should know how to use a "spreadsheet" when he starts school. Perhaps so, not because he'll need it in school, but because of the depth a degree SHOULD imply. Jeff Bowles Lisle, IL