Thank you for your most thoughtful reply to my message.  You have given me 
much food for thought (hate cliches).
RM> I suspect that there are two camps that are pushing for
RM> computers: The first are those who see computers as an
RM> essential part of our future lives, and who feel that
RM> children MUST be comfortable and knowledgeable about them.
RM> The second are those who see computers as a way of adding
RM> "interest" to classrooms.
I would suggest a third group--those who honestly believe that the computer 
either will or can revolutionize how educations are delivered to students at 
all age levels. And it is becoming increasingly obvious that our educational 
systems are in a deplorable state overall, a state that reflects the moral, 
intellectual, and social breakdowns prevalent in society in general.
RM> The problem with all this is that our classrooms are, by and
RM> large, SATURATED timewise, as are most teachers!  To add the
RM> Internet as a reference source or interest source, requires
RM> that something ELSE be cut!
Indeed!  So many things are impinging on our schools today--the problems of 
growing urbanization, multi-culturalism and the demands this makes of our 
schools, the shrinking of our world through technological advances in all 
fields, the exponential growth of knowledge in all fields, the growing 
complexity of what constitutes democracy, the breakup of families and the 
resulting deprecation of traditional family "values," the changing roles of 
women in society, etc.  Even in math and the sciences there is confusion 
about what should be taught when.  I tend at times to agree somewhat with 
those who see the computer as providing a way through the morass of confusion 
that all this poses to educators.  That springs from my desired optimism that 
there are answers to present dilemmas.  I suspect that one answer lies in not 
insisting on a standard education for everyone beyond the basic ability to 
read, write, and handle basic arithmetical functions.  To that extent I have 
to agree with Matt about not needing history, literature, and other courses 
for college success. OTOH, I agree with Sheila that education should be 
concerned with people as human beings and not just as vessels to be filled 
with knowledge.
RM> And not all kids LIKE computers!
I have never been an advocate that the "fun" in learning comes from "liking" 
something.  The fun comes from making it possible to achieve a mastery over 
the subject matter being taught, and sometimes that involves routine 
repetition, practice, hard work, failure, and perseverance--all of which 
produce and are eventually a measure of character.  They should occur in an 
atmosphere of acceptance and at the hands of teachers who know what they are 
teaching, who like young people and students, and who are essentially kind 
(not soft and sentimentally so).  To the extent that computers can assist 
students in achieving such mastery, computers can be very useful.
RM> As with you, I have some doubts about where we're going with
RM> this.....
Doubt can be a good thing when it goads us into thinking seriously and 
productively.  Perhaps a better work is skepticism.
--Art--
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