Re: Courses

[Malonowa <malonowa@wanadoo.fr>]

Robert Hopcroft wrote:

> It seems to me that there are two issues here. I'll call them content and
> delivery. The first "content" pertains to the "what", while the second
> "delivery" pertains to the "how". Considering the content, I feel one has to
> look at things from the teacher's
> perspective, namely getting the students from one level of achivement to the
> next. Therefore one has to know what a student must accomplish. Doug is trying
> to find out what software is being used in this regard. However I keep coming
> back to the thought that the key thing is not the software but the skills that
> must be mastered. For example, keyboarding is taught from the first day of
> school to the last. Over the first few years the students are taught to
> correctly use more and more of the keyboard.
> After that they are required to be able to correctly type more and more words
> per minute each year. Once one has the skill requirements, one can devise a way
> to deliver whether it be through standard computer software or through some
> other means such as you describe above. A final thought, using your scheme a
> chemistry text could show a periodic table which is the interface to gperiodic.
>
> Bob

  This is an interesting subject. Personally, I believe that the skills should be
integrated into the content delivery where possible but not at the expense of
delivering the content effectively and as simply as possible.

I think one problem that we all must overcome is that different countries have
different methods of teaching. For instance, in the US you talk about getting
students from one achievement to the next and your education system tends to have a
lot of testing, drill and practice etc. whereas in England we teach through
exploration. There are definite curriculum targets but they're delivered in a much
different way. Over there as well, everything is tightly integrated with IT. Each
teacher must show that he/she uses IT to deliver their subject - if not, they get
into really a lot of trouble. All of this is closely monitored and controled by
government inspectors.

Skills such as typing don't carry the same emphasis.

I think the idea in England is that the computer is used as a tool to deliver the
content but the skills are taught in a much more abstract way.

Kids start using databases, spreadsheets, charting tools, logo, control technology
at 5 years old but the IT side of this is very much abstracted. This software is
used in all subjects, data and practice being topic related. It's interesting to
note here as well that there is extensive use of "Concept Keyboards" and other
input devices at primary level.

I think the IT skills such as typing are only directly delivered at a much older
age and at the option of the students. But my expertise stop at about 11 years so
I'm not sure.

Part of my excitement about intranets is that whilst teachers may not be able to
program they could develop some content using much more basic tools.

I've given a URL a few days ago which describes all of the skill requirements in
detail for all pupils, at all ages in England. That should help when considering
that part of the world. I'll try to find out what the requirements are here in
France.

Gperiodic is an ideal candidate for appletization and integration into online
chemistry resources.

I do agree with you overall.

What's your background Bob?

Roman.