patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) (07/08/89)
Education and Computing. It announces a new mailing list whose goal is to
establish an international network for children and teachers. Interested
people are invited to join the mailing list.
*******************************************************************************
A GLOBAL NETWORK FOR CHILDREN
Businesses and universities have come to appreciate the value of
electronic data networks. The inexpensive technology which underlies
these networks could be of equal value for pre-college education. I
propose that we should provide this facility to the world's children by
establishing a global network for the use of children and teachers in
grades K-12.
Reading and writing provides us with the means to communicate on a
global level. Electronic networks provide an immediacy to global
communication and allow us to sort the resulting flow of information. This
lets us direct our remarks to an appropriate audience and gain access
to information on any subject we may seek.
If we begin to teach reading and writing in conjunction with the
use of an electronic network, we will provide children with a new
global outlook as we teach them the skills needed to exploit it.
Children who grow up with this outlook will learn that many human problems
are universal and that solutions to these problems may often be found
through global communication and cooperation. They will learn that
knowledge is distributed around the world and that this knowledge exists
to be shared within the human community. Simultaneously they will master
the skills which will permit them to distribute and organize the vast
store of information that will be available via electronic media.
The technology that is required to set up a global children's
network already exists. It is in the national interest of all developed
and developing nations to extend and apply this technology. The
establishment of a children's network would give an international
scope to these efforts. It would provide a focus for technological
development and for resolving the problems of language, standards, etc.
that inevitably arise in international communications.
The first steps toward establishing a global children's network are
being taken by a group which may be reached via the BITNET/UUCP address
KIDSNET@ccnysci.BITNET or KIDSNET@ccnysci.UUCP. If you would like to join
this group, send a note expressing your interest to the mailing list
administrator, Patt Haring, patth@ccnysci.BITNET or patth@ccnysci.UUCP.
Robert D. Carlitz
RDC@PITTVMS.BITNET
--
Patt Haring | Vote * YES * for creation of
rutgers!cmcl2!ccnysci!patth | misc.headlines.unitex
patth@ccnysci.BITNET | email votes to: patth@ccnysci.UUCP