Computers lower school grades

[Rob Lister]

This is a bit convoluted

A report issued by the UK's Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has evaluated how technology in classrooms affects test results, and found that the availability of computers provides "no noticeable improvement" to students' test scores. According to the report, "Students who use computers very frequently at school get worse results." Also, "high achieving school systems such as South Korea and Shanghai in China have lower levels of computer use in school." The organization warns that classroom technology can be a distraction if implemented unwisely, and it also opens the door to easy ways of cheating.

Teaching math does not much improve one's grade in English. Teaching writing does not much improve one's grade in math.

It isn't Reading, Writing and Arithmetic anymore. Learning computer skills is a good and necessary part of the schoolhouse curriculum. You can read, write and 'rithmetic with the best of of them but that won't help you if you have to apply for the job online. But a dumbass that knows his way around a URL can get a job anywhere.

... the availability of computers provides "no noticeable improvement" to students' test scores.

Separate skill set.

...opens the door for easy cheating

Not if the teachers are educated.

[Abdul Alhazred]

It's not computers. It's the stupidity of educators.

I noticed this ... mumble mumble ... years ago when I was in graduate school and observed "school of education" students.

They think "computer literacy" is a substitute for the regular kind.

And that learning to be an end user is "computer literacy".

[Rob Lister]

I agree completely. A quibble ...

And that learning to be an end user is "computer literacy".

If they would just teach that it would be 'good enough'.

I was lucky with my kids. My city put a strong emphasis on this at least 20 years ago. My oldest started 'keyboarding' class in fifth grade. My youngest in first grade. By the time they hit high school most every assignment was done by email. The transition to college was a no-brainer for them. Programming was still an optional course. It shouldn't be but even if it is, it isn't a huge burden.

We think--'WE' think--'yea, so?' But some states, districts, cities, are not so well prepared. And their kids suffer mightily. They might not see a computer all though school. It is sad to be them.