Education and Computers

Computers are widely used in educational institutions from elementary school to college. While computers have had as yet little impact on the structure or organization of schools, educational software and the use of the Internet has had a growing impact on how education is delivered.

History

During the 1950s and early 1960s, computer resources were generally too scarce, expensive, and cumbersome to be used for teaching, although universities aspired to have comput-ers to aid their graduate and faculty researchers. However, during the 1960s computer engineers and educators at the Computer-based Education Research Laboratory at the Uni-versity of Illinois, Urbana, formed a unique collaboration and designed a computer system called PLATO. The PLATO system used mainframe computers to deliver instructional content to up to 1,000 simultaneous users at terminals throughout the University of Illinois and other educational institutions in the state. PLATO pioneered the interactive approach to instruction and the use of graphics in addition to text. The PLATO system was later marketed by Con-trol Data Corporation (CDC) for use elsewhere. During this time Stanford University also set up a system for deliver-ing computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to users connected to terminals throughout the nation. (See computer-aided instruction.)

By the early 1980s, microcomputers had become rela-tively affordable and capable of running significant edu-cational software including graphics. Apple Computer’s Apple II became an early leader in the school market, and the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 with the Hyper-card scripting language inspired many teachers and other enthusiasts to create their own educational software. By the early 1990s, IBM compatible PCs with Windows were catching up. Commercially available computer games (such as Civilization or Railroad Tycoon) also offered ways to enrich social studies and other classes (see computer games).

The advent of the World Wide Web and graphical Web browsing in the mid-1990s spurred schools to connect to the Internet. The Web offered the opportunity for educa-tors to create resources that could be accessed by col-leagues and students anywhere in the world. The use of Web portals such as Yahoo!, library catalogs, and online encyclopedias gave teachers and students potential access to a far greater variety of information than could pos-sibly be found in textbooks. The Web also offered the opportunity for students at different schools to participate in collaborative projects, such as community surveys or environmental studies.

Applications

Educational applications of computing can be divided into several categories, as summarized in the following table. While small compared to the business market, the educational software industry is a significant market, tar-geting both schools and parents seeking to improve their children’s academic performance. However, the educational use of computers extends far beyond specialized software. Schools are in effect a major industry in themselves, requir-ing much of the same support software as large businesses.

Trends

The growth of the World Wide Web has led to some shift of emphasis away from stand-alone, CD-ROM based appli-cations running on local PCs or networks. Educators are excited about the possibilities for online collaboration. Public concern about children achieving an adequate level of technical skill (see computer literacy) has fueled an increasing commitment of funds for computer hardware, software, and networking for schools.

Some visionaries speak of a 21st-century “virtual school” that has no classroom in the conventional sense, but uses the Internet and conferencing software to bring teachers and students together. While there has been only limited experimentation in creating virtual secondary schools, thousands of university courses are now offered online, and many degree programs are now available. Some institutions such as the University of Phoenix have made such “distance learning” a core part of their growth strategy.

Several factors have caused other observers to have mis-givings about the rush to get schools onto the “information superhighway.” Many schools lack adequate physical facili-ties and teacher training. Under those circumstances other priorities might deserve precedence over the installation of technology that may not be effectively utilized. At the same time, the lagging in access to technology by minorities and the poor may suggest that schools must play a significant role in providing such access and enabling the coming gen-eration to catch up (see digital divide).

The debate over how best to use technology in the schools also reflects fundamental theories about teaching and learning. Critics of information technology such as Clifford Stoll (see Stoll, Clifford) have reacted against the mechanical, rote nature of much educational software. They also decry the hype of some advocates who have sug-gested technology as a panacea for the problems of low performance, poor motivation, and lack of accountability in many schools.

Some advocates of computer use agree with the criticism of uncreative and poorly planned “e-learning” programs, but argue that the answer is to use technology that helps good teachers unlock creativity. For example, Seymour Pap-ert and his LOGO language are based on “constructivist” principles where students learn through doing (see Papert, Seymour and logo). From this point of view, “computer literacy” should not be a focus in itself, but one outcome of a program that creates literate and capable learners (see computer literacy.)