Al Parfitt wrote:

I use computers at work to help students learn. We use various simulation activities (like "Amazon Trail") to let students experience different places, times, and ideas. We also do a lot of word processing, and do graphics projects, such as animation.

I also use the computer to produce lesson materials, write memos, and communicate with other staff members.

People not choosing computer majors

By ROBERT WASHINGTON (AP) -- Students may the most wired ever, toting laptops and chatting by e-mail, but they're not turned on by majors that lead to well-paying jobs in information technology, according to a survey of college-bound teens. The disconnect is causing hardships for some would-be employers, while others change the way they recruit. Only 3 percent of high school graduates who took the ACT assessment picked computer and information science as likely vocations. Fewer than 1 percent said they wanted to be computer engineers. Many more who took the college entrance examination chose business, psychology, law, health services and other areas where opportunities or pay are less promising. Other surveys have found similar results. ``Students' current career aspirations seem to be somewhat out of sync with the jobs that will be available for many of them,'' Richard L. Ferguson, president of the American College Testing service, based in Iowa City, Iowa, said Tuesday when releasing scores for the high school class of 1998. The national average composite score of 21, out of a possible 36, for a record 995,000 students who took the examination was the same as last year's, a high for the decade. Scores were boosted in part because more high school students are taking advanced math and science. Those courses have yet to ignite a passion for computer careers, despite hundreds of thousands of openings for programmers, engineers and systems analysts. The average salary for a job offer for a 1998 college graduate in computer science jumped this year to $41,561, up nearly 12 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Employers are turning overseas and to ambitious high school students. Companies are pressuring Congress to let 190,000 more foreigners into this country for high-tech jobs. The Labor Department expects computer jobs to more than double by 2006. Ferguson says students aren't getting the help with career planning early or often enough. Students, advisers and employers give other reasons. ``I can only really study what I'm interested in,'' said Pat O'Connor, 18, of Long Island, N.Y., beginning freshman orientation at George Washington University. He's probably going to major in psychology. A fellow freshman standing outside the dorm, William Jennings, 18, of Greenwich, Conn., is looking at international business largely because his father was an investment banker. ``There are a lot of possibilities related to computers, but I don't know about them,'' he said. ``It's not interesting to me to sit in front of a computer screen for a long time.'' The economy is doing so well that college graduates with all kinds of degrees are getting good jobs. ``I think what's happening now, because the job market is so good for the college graduates, they're feeling a little more confident staying with something they're really going to love,'' said Denise Dwight Smith, director of the career center at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and president of the NACE. She said there have been hot careers before, such as accounting, and students may wrongly picture many computer jobs as impersonal and isolated. High-tech employers are puzzled by the disconnect and struggling with it. ``A lot of projects and requirements are going unstaffed. A lot of revenue is being lost,'' said Alan Shulman, an executive with AETEA Information Technology Inc., a Rockville, Md., firm that provides network, Internet and other services. ``The strange thing is, I go to houses of friends of mine and the kids are 5, or 7, or 8 years old and in front of a computer, playing computer games and stuff,'' he said. ``You would think they would feel more comfortable and acclimated to technology ... but maybe we're still not placing the emphasis we need to in our early education practices.'' William Ziegler, director of technical recruiting in the Americas for Andersen Consulting, says people who know enough math and science to inspire students can get better jobs elsewhere. ``What they would get as a teacher is much lower, odds are, than what they would get practicing, and that causes a problem,'' he said. Andersen also has broadened its recruiting reach beyond the top 10 percent of colleges, going to smaller and more geographically remote ones, using video interviews for the first contact. EDS, the Plano, Texas, technology and data giant with 110,000 employees, is giving curriculum and other advice to about 40 targeted universities and pouring money into lower schools to promote technology and science. Diane Coffman, a company spokesman, added some perspective. The company started in the 1960s before there was such a thing as a computer science major, so it has perfected the art of training people with degrees even in philosophy, psychology and music. ``For some reason, music majors are very successful in doing high-tech work,'' she said. Does this information change the way you will teach technology in the clasroom.

Fri Sep 11 11:10:06 1998
EPW

A Model Middle School's Use of Technology

PART V - SPECIAL EMPHASIS in TECHNOLOGY In December of 1993, a survey was administered to our entire faculty to determine the extent to which computers were being used an instructional tool. The major finding of the study showed that most teachers considered themselves to be non-users or novices and thus failed to integrate computers in the curriculum. A shared decision making committee comprised of Herricks Middle School teachers, administrators, and two parents who worked in the computer industry, was created. They developed a plan in the spring of 1994 that set forth goals, a timeline, and an action plan designed to dramatically expand our use of computers. Less than three years after these goals were established, each one has been fully implemented as follows: Hiring Goal: All newly hired teachers will be knowledgeable of pedagogical methods that use computers as a learning tool within the first year of their employment. All candidates for teaching positions are asked how they would incorporate computers into the curriculum. Since our new teachers are computer literate, they have played a leadership role training our faculty to use computers. Two newly hired teachers have conducted workshops at faculty meetings and taught in-service computer courses at the district's Teacher Center. Accessibility Goal: The accessibility of computers will be improved in order to facilitate teacher training. Our summer computer lending program allows teachers to borrow computers over the summer to enhance newly acquired skills. Last summer, 30 IBM-compatible 486 computers were borrowed. Every Wednesday during July and August, a staff developer is available in our building to help participants in the summer lending program resolve computer problems that they may be experiencing. During the school year, three computers were placed in department offices. Library Media Center Goal: Facilitate computerized research in the Library Media Center. Eight computers in our Library Media Center provide children pleasurable ways of accessing information. The independent research skills they practice in the library will prove to be useful in their homes as well as in school. The Library Media Center's state-of-the art computers are equipped with fast modem connections to the Internet, sound cards with speakers, and large screen monitors that enable computer data to be displayed to an entire class. Applications include: Internet Connections: Two accounts are maintained for school use: Scholastic Network/America On-Line and Pipeline, a New York Internet service provider. Students use the World Wide Web as a resource to acquire relevant, up-to-date information from around the world. Examples include looking up current AIDS data from the Center for Disease Control's web site and sending e-mail to Congress and the White House. CD-Rom Resources: Library users gain instant access to current periodical and newspaper articles, searchable by subject, reference works (i.e. encyclopedias and atlases), and curriculum-related materials. Automated Card Catalog and Circulation System: This software facilitates students' access to the circulating collection, develops search skills commensurate to new technological developments, and provides for efficient and accurate administrative operations. Academic Network: Wires connect a file server in the library to one-third of the classrooms in our school. As a result, classrooms have become satellites of the library with remote access to digitized reference information in our Library Media Center. Telecommunications Goal: Initiate telecommunications in classrooms. Telecommunications services are available in one classroom and the Library Media Center as described above. Connections to the Internet have been employed for the following purposes: sending e-mail to a middle school class in Italy (foreign language) and visiting the Native American Virtual Art Gallery on the web (art). Over the last two years, Scholastic, Inc. selected compositions of six Herricks Middle School students to be posted on a World Wide Web magazine titled Press Return. Scholastic's editors helped these young authors refine their essays before the work was exhibited over the Internet. Computer Skills Goal: A scope and sequence of computer skills to be taught from kindergarten through eighth grade should be developed. Sixth grade students take a two week course on Microsoft Works and a ten week keyboarding class. The average student increases his or her typing speed an average of 30 words per minute during the class. In seventh grade, students enroll in a five week course that covers word processing, database, and spreadsheet software. Taught in our two computer laboratories, the sixth and seventh grade courses ensure that students have learned basic computer literacy skills. Upgrade Technology Goal: Outdated Apple IIe computers in the laboratory will be replaced with contemporary computer technology that uses a graphical user interface and a mouse. The school budget approved by district voters in spring of 1995 enabled our school to purchase a networked laboratory of 30 IBM-clone computers. Other educational technology purchased over the last three years includes a videomicroscope (a miniature video camera that projects microscopic specimens on a 31 inch television screen), an authentic weather station funded by a New York State legislative grant, a laser disc player, and eleven computers attached to 31 inch monitors. The computers can be used in classrooms as stand-alone units or networked to our academic computer network. Our district's educational technology plan has budgeted for the acquisition of 50 to 75 more computers at our school over the next two years. Staff Development Goal: A staff development plan will equip all teachers with the skills necessary to integrate computers as a learning tool as a part of every course. Every teacher was required to infuse computers in the classes they taught a minimum number of times each year. Two years ago, a staff developer was assigned to work half-time with our teachers to help them become familiar with educational computer applications specific to their academic disciplines. The staff developer collaboratively plans lessons, demonstrates software, team-teaches classes the first time teachers attempt to use computers, and repairs technical malfunctions. In addition, a series of after school workshops were taught by our faculty's own computer experts. Called the Educational Technology Mini-Conference, these workshops introduced all teachers to our computer research facilities in the library, the Internet, Microsoft Works, and other relevant topics. Last year, the principal met individually with each teacher to discuss his or her progress in implementing our school's Educational Technology Plan. As a result of these conferences, it was decided to schedule collegial circles after school so that an entire department could collaboratively search the Internet for helpful Web sites. One teacher from each department attended a conference last year to learn how to access information from the Internet. These teachers were responsible to train the remainder of their departments. Thirty Herricks Middle School teachers participated in courses at the district's Teacher Center covering computer-related topics such as Windows 95, Telecommunications, Introduction to Cd-Rom, and Microsoft Works. As a result of the successful implementation of our Educational Technology Plan, computers have become an integral part of our curriculum. Examples include: DISCIPLINE HIGHLIGHTED LESSONS Art Creating personal logos (Corel Draw) Visit the Louvre on the Internet English Facilitate better writing with word processor (Microsoft Works) Publish student writing on the Internet (Press Return) Health Research topics using searchable periodical index (Infotrac CD-Rom) Home and Careers Calculate nutritional value of meal (MealPlan software) Research job market (Occupational Outlook Handbook CD-Rom) Mathematics Plot and measure geometric shapes (Geometric Presupposer software) Learn the order of operations (How the West was One software) Music Notate original computer compositions (Finale software) Learn to play electronic keyboard (Magic Piano software) Physical Education Record students' acquisition of discrete physical skills (Newton) Enter personal physical fitness data to generate a fitness-gram (Cooper Institute of Research software) Science Graph laboratory data from classroom experiments (Microsoft Works) Plot recent earthquake activity using data from Internet (USGS web site) Second Language Take virtual field trips to foreign schools and museums on the Internet Sixth Grade Compute mortgage rates (Microsoft Money) Social Studies E-mail congressional representatives Maintain stock market portfolios (Internet and Microsoft Works) Special Education Play educational games to remediate skills (various software) Technology Design home (3D Home Architecture) Calculate speed of magnetic levitation vehicle (Kelvin electronics) From an administrative standpoint, computers assist with scheduling, attendance, and budgeting. Computer software quickly and efficiently schedules students into classes that are appropriate to their needs. Attendance is scanned into a computer database and printed copies are then distributed to teachers moments later. The budgeting process relies heavily on computers to record expenditures, generate cost comparisons from one year to the next, and present the budget proposal to the Board of Education. Our school is linked to the central office via modem so that we can check the status of our budget codes.

Note: this website link was removed because it was outdated.

Tue Sep 15 09:46:23 1998
Education Bibliographer, CRS

DOE Teleconference on Distance Learning

Please share the information below. The US Deparment of Education would like to have wide dissemination of this teleconference, including "live" turnaround of the signal for sites with special digital equipment. The teleconference is copyright free and ask for all your help in disseminating the information and teleconference! US Department of Education Technology and Learning Beyond the Schoolhouse Free, Live Teleconference September 18, 1998, 3pm ET On September 18, 1998, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, the US Department of Education will sponsor a free, live teleconference on the application of distance learning and other technologies in places other than the traditional schoolhouse or classroom. The teleconference, Technology and Learning Beyond the Schoolhouse, will highlight activities in early childhood education settings, correctional facilities, and community-based learning centers for adults. Five expert panelists - one each from the arena of early childhood education, correctional facilities programming, and community learning centers for adults, and a researcher and a policymaker - will describe the programs, technologies, and impact of these educational opportunities. The teleconference will be moderated. The viewing audience will be able to interact with the panelists through telephone call in and fax in. The panelists include: o Dr. Chris Dede, Professor of Education and Information Technology, George Mason University; Fairfax, VA; o Ann Kulinsky, Distance Education Instructor/Corrections, Education Service District 101, Spokane, WA o Dr. Dorothy Singer, Co-Director of the Yale University Family Television Research and Consultation Center. New Haven, CT; o Antonia (Toni) Stone, Founder, Community Technology Centers' Network, Newton, MA; o Wayne Curry, Prince Georges' County Executive, Upper Marlboro, MD; o Andrea Johnson, Esq., Professor of Telecommunications Law, California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA. (moderator) Downlink satellite coordinates Ku-Band, Telstar 5 97 degrees west Transponder 25 Ask the experts your questions, phone or fax:: Phone-in number: 1-800-733-9205 Fax-in number: 1-800-267-3718 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thomas G. Tate, ECS-CSREES-USDA, Room 3901 South Building Washington, D.C. 20250-0915 (v) 202-720-2727 (f) 202-690-2975

Mon Oct 5 11:12:19 1998
Social Studies Professional referral

Virtual Congress available

In an issue of Social Studies professional for Sept. 1998, I learned about a Virtual Congress for 12th grade students in the U.S., sponsored by the nonprofit Institute for Better Education through Resource Technology. Students and teachers will want to check out the reference. Note: this website link was removed because it was outdated.

Note: this website link was removed because it was outdated.

Thu Oct 15 15:18:52 1998 from 207-172-49-1.s1.tnt14.ann.erols.com

1999 annual conference of the Northwest Council fo

K-20 educators from throughout the Northwest will gather in Seattle March 17-20 for "Electroglyphs : Communication with Tomorrow", the 1999 annual conference of the Northwest Council for Computer Education. Scheduled Thursday and Friday are over 150 hour-long concurrent sessions designed for educators ranging from the novice to the experienced user of computers and related technologies. Whole and half-day workshops are available Wednesday and Saturday. Other highlights include a large exhibits area and the Northwest Student Showcase where students demonstrate how they are using technology in the classroom. The NCCE conference offers an incomparable opportunity for Northwest educators to discover how to use technology to enhance student learning. Additional information is available on the NCCE website (http://www.ncce.org/) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% % Cathy F. Parise % Educational Technology Program Supervisor Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA 98504-7200

http://www.ncce.org/

Thu Oct 15 15:35:24 1998 from
E.S., a librarian at L.C. <> 

US Primary History Sources at LC web site

Do you know that you can use the Library of Congress for your American History classes to look at or to search historical documents such as the debates in the Constitutional Convention? Also, the Manuscript Division scanned other impressive Am. historical documents online to see. Check out the following URL addresses.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/mcchtml/corhome.html http://www.loc.gov/

Thu Oct 15 20:59:20 1998
ES-found on AACS website

Computer literacy importance reference

There are some marvelous graphics about Computers in the workplace and in schools in a report on Scientific Education called "Blueprints for Reform," online from the AAAS.

http://project2061.aaas.org/tools/bluepol/blpframe.html

Sun Apr 25 03:51:00 1999
Submitted at the request of H.S.D.

Educational reform & Computers technology

A good article on Use of Computers and Technology for Educational Reform.Sees computers as a means, not an end. Paul Starr, "Computing Our Way to Educational Reform," The American Prospect no. 27 (July-August 1996): 50-60

http://www.movingideas.org/