🚀 go-pugleaf

Dear Terri and Other Readers -

Here are my gut reactions so far.

1. I am concerned about the very short class time.

   Having (say) 20 minutes to talk, and then 20 minutes for practical hands 
   on, only once each week... wow, that could be the kiss of death to almost 
   any subject. I fear that by accepting these restrictions, and not doing 
   something to artificially augment the class time (say, computer club), you 
   could be setting yourself up for failure, or at least, much frustration.

   If computers were more like hammers, staplers, telephones, or banking 
   machines, your task would be lighter. Computers are so general purpose and 
   open ended. Look at all of the choices for what to learn, what to teach: 
   Programming? Using? Machine Centred? Human Centred? Culture Centred? Fast? 
   Slow? Boring? Etc? Not Etc? 

   I RECOMMEND YOU ADDRESS THIS TIME PROBLEM:
     
     a) Try to double your available class times, to twice per week. Even this 
        could reduce the wear and tear on you (you all). You who must prepare 
        day plans, weighted tests, and otherwise, make sure the kids learn 
        something which can be measured at the end of the term. 

     b) Reduce your expectations to the mere skeleton of what you might have 
        been considering at the outset. What thought on computers would you 
        convey, so that it is remembered until next week, with only 20 minutes 
        to elaborate?         ^^^^^^^^^^
     
     c) Discipline will be important for both you and the young students. In 
        Toronto's public schools, even the best and strongest teachers have 
        trouble maintaining order in class enough to make their point(s). 
        Computer hands on classes have these problems more so since (with some 
        arrangements) the students have permission to work on (and work out) 
        their problems/assignments, so they *Talk*To*One*Another* while their 
        teacher is trying to address the other half of the class. *Beware* a 
        40 minute class each week leaves very little room for a wasted week 
        due to disorder. (Your plan to have the teacher around is a good idea. 
        At my seminars, I try to conscript as many helpers as possible to 
        circulate). May I suggest: 15 minutes to the Entire Class, 15 minutes 
        to group A students hands on, then 15 minutes group B students hands 
        on (the alternate group prepares what they will do when the get to the 
        machine next).

2. Random Ideas

   a) Do you want to introduce the young ones to lots and lots of stuff?
      
      This could work of you don't try to teach them how to actually use lots 
      and lots of stuff. (I don't like the lots and lots concept)

   b) Do you want them to use the programs you teach at school, at home?

      Then use reliable(*) Shareware, or Public Domain programs instead of 
      commercial stuff. The cost will be *significantly* less, and no one will 
      get in trouble when you distribute copies to (interested) students 
      according the author's rules (such as, include the entire distribution 
      disk). EDUCORP comes to mind. 

      * Reliable: Order your shareware from the author, or from very safe 
      legitimate sources. You don't want "Viruses, Computer" on the 
      curriculum. When you get copies of software 'from a friend', you can be 
      getting contacts from all of the 'acquaintances' your friend has met. 
      C-STDs: Computer Software Transmitted Diseases. 

   c) Will the children be saving their work?

      Be sure the school store has reliable and economical disks for sale in 
      single units (not entire boxes, neccesarily).

   d) Consider Experienced Students as Helpers

      This could do all participants much good. If you could plan the right 
      benefits for the Helpers (in our school, years ago, such helpers were 
      given evening and weekend access to the system for their assistance).

   e) Plan how the room(s) will be arranged with care

      1) Do you want the computers around the outside edge? Or do you want all 
         of the students to look toward the front of the class? Are the desks 
         going to have enough clear space for papers with prepared notes near 
         the computers? 
         
      2) Anti theft gadgets been considered? Stolen equipment can ruin your 
         plans. So can lost or stolen program disks.
         
      3) How many printers are in the room? Do you have any ideas on how to 
         handle the rush at the end of the class when everyone wants to print 
         their work out? One product for helping you: simple device for 
         connecting many computers to one printer (We here manufacture one 
         called 'Microshare'). Another product: the printer buffer, takes a 
         print job from the computer very quickly so the printer can take its 
         time printing it (so the next student prints, then the next, then the 
         next... we make one of these as well...) 

      4) Electricity. Make sure the entire workstation (computer, screen, 
         printer, any-thing-else-connected) are also plugged into the same 
         circuit, as close as possible together. I recommend a single power 
         bar (switched power outlet strip) for each individual workstation. If 
         you can afford it, get the good ones with some surge protection 
         against Power anomalies.
         
      5) Are the units connected together already into any 'network' or 
         something? Would it help you if it were (or if it weren't)? Good 
         things about networks are: programs sit on a central computer which 
         serves it out to the other stations, one software installation is 
         often enough to set it up for the entire class. Bad things list is 
         much longer: the system becomes much more UnReliable, the computer(s) 
         won't run exactly as they would have without the network, someone is 
         going to have to care for 'network administration' (keeping and 
         changing of passwords, classrooms, allowed files, cleaning shared 
         disk space, and other sundry headaches), electrical troubles affect 
         the entire network (not just one station).
         
I could continue, but I think I have said plenty already. (I wonder what 
flames will come to me...). I will watch comp.society weekly for what happens 
here, or EMail or Fax to get me more reliably.

I hope this is practical for you, Terri. Let me know.

Dave Berman
				      uunet!mnetor!becker!comspec!daveb