Sheila King On (05 Jul 96) was overheard to say to Bob Moylan
 SK> Well, sorry, but I think you are misconstruing.
 Not the first time ... /-:
 SK> I was talking about the technology. It's getting so that new
 SK> programming languages are evolving rapidly, new Web technology,
 snip
 SK> How is a teacher to keep abreast of the possibilities?
 I would imagine by not trying to keep up with _everything_,
 concentrate effort and interest in what is applicable to what you are
 teaching. (I don't like the way that sounds....too trite or
 something)  Is it really necessary that you, as a math teacher, know
 what is involved in writing code for application software?  Do you
 really need to know _how_ the graphing calculator works? (Not the
 same thing as operating it) You already understand the math involved,
 what to input to obtain a desired output.   Isn't that all that you
 would have to teach your students about the thing?
 SK> Teachers aside, how is a private citizen supposed to do the same?
 Many of the people I know professionally and socially don't have a
 computer at home.  Many use one in their jobs and feel that if they
 are up to speed with what their employer requires that's all they
 have to know.  Of those who have a machine at home almost all claim
 to have purchased it "for the kids"... depending on the household it
 is usually the adults who actually "use" it the most.  These are the
 ones who are generally only a step or two behind the most recent
 "advance".
 SK> We don't even have a chance in the educational community to evaluate
 SK> whether newsgroup access is wise for school use when *BAM* the Web is
 SK> available and everyone's on it. Should we allow Web access in schools?
 SK> Wait, too late. Now there's IRC.
 You are not unique in expressing this.  If the local example of
 introducing the internet into schools approaches being typical of
 what's happening elsewhere then your comment "wait, too late" is dead
 on.  Dropping phone lines into libraries, installing the hardware and
 saying "here it is" has been the norm.  No paid teacher training in
 how to, no guidelines in place, no use policy, no PLAN.
 SK> This isn't IMO a question of knowing where to look for information.
 SK> This is a case of having time to evaluate appropriate use of new
 SK> technologies before new ones emerge to take their place.
 Would you agree that there a feeling of "we (you) have to do this"
 both within and outside the ed community?  I know that I am subject
 to feeling that way but have been unable myself or in concert with
 others to come up with a reasonable, feasible way of doing it.  The
 inertia of the system is sometimes nearly overwhelming.  The local
 powers that be have the mindset that if it isn't their idea it's not
 a good idea.
 There are more forces at play in all this than just new and newer
 technologies.
... I don't have the solution but I admire the problem.
--- PPoint 2.00
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