mtbb34@ms.uky.edu (Becky McEllistrem) (02/28/88)
Hi, I'm a new poster (well I think I got one article on here) and have a
"slight" problem...
I'm an education major interested in teaching (for the moment but not later)
grades K-4. I have also developed (over last year) an interest in computers.
What I would really like to do is teach computers on the elementary level
and eventually act as a consultant to teachers who do teach students at the
elementary level. Fayette County (Lexington Kentucky) has begun to have
computer labs in the elementary schools but there is no teacher preparation
courses here at the University of Kentucky (except I believe, in the Masters
Special Education program) I was searching for an Undergraduate degree or
Graduate degree in Computer Education for elementary students. We haven't
even HEARD of any for Undergraduates... Anyone?
Thanks ahead of time,
Becky McEllistrem
P.S. Part of UK's problem is that the elementary schools haven't even begun
a type of formal curriculum and are still debating whether or not they want
to teach first graders to program. Sigh, the wheels are moving here, I just
wish they were a little bit faster.
Becky
--
-- "I ALways push the doors marked pull!"- (I don't know who said that.)
-- Becky McEllistrem (Tadger)
-- mtbb34@ms.uky.edu, mtbb34@ukma.bitnet, {rutgers,uunet,cbosgd}!ukma!mtbb34
-- University of Kentucky in Lexington Kentucky, USAelg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) (02/29/88)
in article <8472@g.ms.uky.edu>, mtbb34@ms.uky.edu (Becky McEllistrem) says: > Hi, I'm a new poster (well I think I got one article on here) and have a > "slight" problem... > > I'm an education major interested in teaching (for the moment but not later) > grades K-4. I have also developed (over last year) an interest in computers. > What I would really like to do is teach computers on the elementary level The question is, "What do you mean?" Do you mean, "teach elementary school kids about computers"? If so, then most of the so-called "experts" don't see any advantages to teaching elementary school students about computers. It's a niche skill that nobody will ever use, they say. I can see some advantages... certainly would give them a workout in their logical and organization skills.... but the teaching profession is very ambivalent about the whole thing. On the other hand, if what you really meant was, "teach elementary school kids, using computers as a tool", then I suggest you go to the Education Digest and look in the section entitled "Computers and Education". There is a wealth of reference material available. Most of it is duplicative (do these people plagiarize each other, or do they just not research the field before they submit their article?), but you can find some occasion jewels. There is a journal about computers and education (Computer Education? Computers & Education? the name eludes me) that often has very interesting articles about the uses of computers in education. For example, word processors are a boon for kids whose fingers are barely capable of handling those chubby pencils, even using the hunt-and-peck method. From what I've read, the teachers who submit articles to that are pretty much the pioneers. The cutting edge, so to speak, in a highly experimental field. I don't know if you can find actual established courses in elementary computer education, considering how few school districts consider it a valid use of their limited funds, and how little research has really be done in what is a very new field. If you are currently an elementary school teacher, you may be best advised to go to your local university library, and research it yourself. -- Eric Lee Green elg@usl.CSNET Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 {cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg Lafayette, LA 70509 Come on, girl, I ain't looking for no fight/You ain't no beauty, but hey you're alright/And I just need someone to love/tonight
morgan@brambo.UUCP (Morgan W. Jones) (03/04/88)
From article <8472@g.ms.uky.edu>, by mtbb34@ms.uky.edu (Becky McEllistrem): > P.S. Part of UK's problem is that the elementary schools haven't even begun > a type of formal curriculum and are still debating whether or not they want > to teach first graders to program. Sigh, the wheels are moving here, I just > wish they were a little bit faster. Why would you want to teach elementary students to program? There are so many things that computers can do to help people in areas that they are required to work. Most people will never want to program anything. It seems to me that the students would be far better off learning to use wordprocessors, spreadsheets, and graphics packages. If you want to be really adventurous, let them play around with desktop video, paint programs, and music synthesizers. Computers these days really do have so much to offer youngsters, but programming really is a waste of their time since so much knowledge is needed to program something useful, and most of what is taught by elementary/secondary school teachers has to be untaught in university. What do teachers think that students are going to do with their knowledge of programming? Don't get me wrong, though. I do feel that students should be encouraged to learn to program, but I don't think that it is something that most would have any use for. -- Morgan Jones - Bramalea Software Inc. morgan@brambo.UUCP ...!{uunet!mnetor!lsuc!ncrcan, utgpu!telly}!brambo!morgan "These might not even be my opinions, let alone anyone else's."
wodarz@iwsam.ATT.COM (Wodarz) (03/05/88)
In article <3537@killer.UUCP>, elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) writes: > > I'm an education major interested in teaching (for the moment but not later) > > grades K-4. I have also developed (over last year) an interest in computers. > > What I would really like to do is teach computers on the elementary level > I am an elementary school teacher. I have taught 5th & 6th grade. I have my bs from U of I and my master's degree in computer education from National College of Education in Evanston. This is a fairly new program -- four or five years old. There are many teachers in the area who are interested in the integration of computers into the standard curriculum. National offers a program that consists of learning BASIC, Pascal, LOGO (from LISP) as well as designing and creating programs for use with kids. If you are technically inclined, you will probably find this program annoying. There is a group called Illinois computing educators (ice). They have regular monthly meetings in Lombard. If you are interested, Sandy Turner or Mike Land are two people you can contact at 256-5150. They are the two main PhDs who run the program -- they have just published a book called "Tools for Schools" -- and they are wonderful people to talk with. Also there is a bulletin board run by ICE - 742-2418. Lots of info can be found there. Nan Wodarz -- Dennis Wodarz ihnp4!iwsam!wodarz 312+979-7085
reggie@pdn.UUCP (George W. Leach) (03/08/88)
In article <308@brambo.UUCP> morgan@brambo.UUCP (Morgan W. Jones) writes: > >Why would you want to teach elementary students to program? I agree! I don't want my son taught how to program in grade school. Nevermind the fact that they will not be taught properly, they must first learn many other things before they can use the computer to solve problems by programming it. Not everyone is cut out for programming. Is it a necessary skill? I don't think so. Certainly, computers will have a major role to play in our children's lives. But they will mostly be end users of software, not programmers. >Computers these days really do have so much to offer youngsters, but >programming really is a waste of their time since so much knowledge is >needed to program something useful, and most of what is taught by >elementary/secondary school teachers has to be untaught in >university. Correct! However, the only reason I became involved with computer science was because we had an old teletype linked up to a PDP-8 (I think) over a phone line. We learned to program in Basic. Without that course I would have been majoring in history or something like that in college. -- George W. Leach Paradyne Corporation {gatech,rutgers,attmail}!codas!pdn!reggie Mail stop LF-207 Phone: (813) 530-2376 P.O. Box 2826 Largo, FL 34649-2826