Teaching Computers, or Teaching WITH Computers? (Score 1)

First, the whole discussion needs to be broken up into Teaching Computers (as in "This is the Internet" or "Here's How to Program in C") or Teaching WITH Computers (as in programs like Math Blaster or reading an Algebra FAQ instead of listening to an algebra lecture).

As for Teaching Computers, I'm all for it. I went to a private high school that was known for its excellence in Math and Science. This school however had only two semesters worth of Computer Science courses, which were data structure type programming in Pascal. Linked-Lists and Trees and such. I would have loved to see C and Perl courses, as well as computer courses outside the programming arena. General hardware knowledge, getting around the Internet (which they should make abundantly clear is more than just the Web), things of that nature. I think computers are becoming as important to know as History or Chemistry.

On the other hand, there's Teaching WITH Computers. In theory, this would be a good way to teach, like a chalk_board++. For this theory to pan out, it relies heavily on two major points.

One, the tool has to be made well. Whatever software is being used to teach must be exceptionally well designed, and from what I've seen, most of it isn't.

Two, the teacher must be familiar and proficient with both the material being taught and the tool being used to teach it. This is also seldom the case. Many teachers are put into positions where they're reading the textbook a chapter ahead of the students, and many teachers are not very proficient with computers. In cases like these, they're better off just reading a lecture, then letting the student review the textbook on their own time.

As with most things, this situation can't really be divided neatly in half. There is sort of a grey middle area. What about teaching computers as a tool for other things? Like using the web to find research for English or History papers, or using graphics software for art, or using math software to crunch big sets of numbers. This kind of teaching has the potential to be excellent, but as usual it relies on the teacher's familiarity with the subject being taught, which can't neccessarily be assumed.

So basically, the bottom line of my argument is:
1. Teachers need to be brought up to speed on the technology and made comfortable and capable with computers and the Internet. Easier said than done. The cynical might even point out that if they were that comfortable with computers maybe they wouldn't be teachers.

2. Most computer teaching should be left out of high schools and taught in colleges. High school is meant to teach you broad theory, basic societal knowledge to make you a well rounded person. Or at least that was the goal of mine. If you want to go to school to learn specific applicable knowledge for success in a career, you should do that at a college, at bare minimum a community college or junior college, even something like DeVry.