The proof is in the pudding...

There are many ways in which computers in education enrich students' lives that I see in my personal life. For example, my twin sisters , the inspiration for this essay, attend school in the Detroit area, which is not considered to be a very prosperous school district. Fortunately, they have had a different experience in than ever imaginable in the Detroit Public Schools . As seventh-graders at Hutchins Middle School in Detroit, they are often required to write and type book reports or science projects. Emphasis is placed on using the computer to type projects such as book reports, unlike my seventh-grade experiences in the same school in the same school district. I did not interact with a typewriter, much less a computer, until the tenth grade at Cass Technical High School .

Also, when asked, they reported their first use of computers, in the fourth grade. They then explored the city of Detroit and various other big cities across the world for a class project. They did not have to travel with their class on a world tour; they did via a software program that allowed students to tour cities with an interactive map. When they told me about their journey, they also asked me if I had done the same thing when I was in the fourth grade. They were surprised to learn that I hadn't even learned how to type until the tenth grade! When I was in the fourth grade, my highlight was the MAP game, which was played to a regular school map. Even though the concepts were the same, the interactive program that they used was clearly more advanced. It also helped the students identify with city landmarks, something that could not be done on an ordinary map. I quickly realized that the children in today's educational system have a huge advantage over my childhood education. The key to successful computing in the classrooms is to start the students as young as possible. By doing this, the concept of technology will not hit them as hard when they venture out into the workforce.

In addition to my sisters' experiences, I also spoke with Rakiba Mitchell, a student in the School of Education at the University of Michigan. I asked her if she felt that computing in the classrooms would help of hinder students. She replied, "They would definitely help students. The environment in today's world is so technology-based, that if students do not receive some type of technological training, they will be deficient when they go to college." She also states that her ideal classrooms has a computer for every student, to give students more individualized learning.

Other Thoughts:

How I am became interested in this topic...

On the other hand...

So where do we go from here?

Human Interaction with Technology

Bibliography and Interesting Links

Michelle's World