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Introduction
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April I taught a graduate-level class for elementary school teachers
on integrating the Internet into thematic units. They were preparing
for the introduction of computers in each of their classrooms. Initially,
there was some disagreement about whether the model they are following,
one computer per classroom, is preferable over putting all the new machines
into a lab or resource room setting. By the end of the second class
meeting, however, they were thankful that they would not be put in a
position in which they would be in charge of a number of students, each
on his or her own machine, going in as many directions. Of course, management
is only one of the issues in the ongoing placement of computer resources
debate.
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 s
early as 1990, I was involved with the topic of one-computer classrooms.
After attending my one-hour presentation at the Texas Computer Education
Association State Conference, a school district in South Texas asked
my partner and me to do a day-long, district-wide staff development
in-service. Among the artifacts I have from preparing for that event
are 14 journal articles and a book chapter. (Probably the best among
these is Edward Vockell's "Instructional Principles Behind Computer
Use" from the August/September 1990, The Computing Teacher.) Reviewing
their contents, the perennial point, "the more things change, the more
they stay the same," comes to mind. Although at the time we were not
preoccupied with the Internet or the Web, we were concerned about the
way the new tools that computers made available to our classrooms could
enhance our teaching and our students' learning. Some of the themes
that run through those dated materials apply to one-computer use as
much now as when they were published.
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Issues to be
addressed
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of the first issues to be addressed in order to be comfortable in a
one-computer classroom, whether permanently housing a computer or sharing
one, is arranging the room for success. A basis for decisions is the
location of the power outlets and/or Internet drops. Other considerations
include whether students are going to be using the computer individually
or in cooperative small groups, the students' ages, and their level
of computer expertise. Some teachers prefer to have a study or learning
center placed near the back of the classroom; others want the equipment
near their desks so its use can be closely monitored.
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Suggestions
 ost
of the suggestions contained in those resources, as well as current
discussions of academic computer use, fall into several categories:
- Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) -- Although this type of software had a
bad reputation at one time for being "drill and kill," there are many programs
that allow students to practice skills that are pedagogically sound and that they
enjoy.
- Remediation - When a student or two need extra time to master a skill or were
absent when a concept was introduced, having them work at the computer can
sometimes help them to catch up with the rest of the class. Advantages to
putting a student who is behind on the computer are he or she receives immediate
interaction, feedback, and reinforcement while the teacher can work with other
students. Furthermore, the computer can go over and over the same materials
without losing its patience. I particularly enjoyed using SkillsBank; not only was it easy for me to
individualize, it scored lessons, kept track of students' progress, printed
reports that students' parents understood, and students looked forward to their
computer time.
- Enrichment (Extension) -- On the other end of the spectrum, students who are
ahead of the rest of the class can be allowed to work on projects that extend
their knowledge. Programs and Web sites that challenge and engage these students
give the teacher time to work with or reteach the rest of the class. In addition
to resources that directly relate to what the class is studying, others that
appeal to their personal interests are always popular. At the high school
level, college test preparation is of interest. Besides the wealth of software
available for this task, there are a growing number of Web sites College Power Prep, TestPrep.com, WebWare for the SAT, and ATM College Planning.
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- Software for Developing Writing Skills - Some of these programs
like Inspiration and MindMan are called "prewriting," "brainstorming,"
or "concept mapping" software. Some students who experience writer's
block find them helpful. Other types of programs use questioning
strategies and are useful with expository writing assignments. Yet
another category of programs and interactive Web sites, for narrative
writing, guides students to branch their plots in various directions
depending on the decisions made in the previous sections.
- Word Processing Software - Word processing is more useful than
typing for the teacher making and keeping on file copies of all
manner of documents. Students have also typed their entire senior
research papers on a sign-up-for-time basis. Some of the new suites
of tools cross the lines between desktop publishing and word processing,
even facilitating Web publishing. Learning to use some of the advanced
features of these programs, students with learning disabilities
(or broken arms) find they are able to turn in work of which they
can be proud.
- Graphics Software - Students enjoy using graphics so much that
they consider time to work with these programs a reward. They can
take charge of their learning by making invitations to classroom
events, bulletin boards for upcoming study units or incentive certificates.
There are software programs like Print
Shop that can be purchased, applications that come with Windows
95 or Office 97 that have some of these same features and Web sites
like Icon Bazaar from which images can be downloaded.
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Created by Serena
Roberts, St. Mary College of Education
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