In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Tony Firshman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>Rick Chagouri-Brindle wrote: > >> Actually, that reminds me. I also "teach" on a volunteer basis at a >> local pre-school. I use the term teach with this age group very >> loosely, but I was amazed how much these children pick up and how >> quickly. As part of the project, I setup and installed four PCs for >> them, and we installed the Edubuntu Linux variant - partly for reasons >> of cost, and partly because it is designed for young children. They >> have all taken too it so well, it is amazing. Many of the children use >> the machines with more confidence than some of the staff!!! >Of course they do. Ben at age 8 became the password holder and >controller of >the classes computer. He kept on correcting the teacher and helping >her - so she passed responsibilty! It is still happening now. He has >given up A level computing because the teacher knows less than him. Umm, the latter seems bad news. Teachers do not "know everything" now, and can never do so. We work with the student, to lead on to further development. Which is around facilitating learning, rather than the didactic teaching of learning. I have had some fantastic work from A level students who knew they were in charge of their own learning. Which doesn't mean they didn't still receive inputs about things they did not yet know or had not yet come across. One of the things that is about to be set up at my school - with the extra funding from M$ - is a Learning Gateway. Which will mean a lot of resources will be available 24/7. This is something we all talked about, years ago. Now the hardware and software is available to be "up to the job", and things like broad band access being "free" to students all day has helped. As well as many students have similar, or better, facilities at home too. -- Malcolm Cadman _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
