December 14, 2011

Computer Education in schools -making students hate computers

Ever since I bought my PC at home, I had got addicted to computers. Purchasing a laptop later and getting a broadband connection actually made me more and more addicted. I had a hundred things to do with computers.

I have been using MS Office run in MS Windows and have been quite happy with these programs. Lately, I am using cloud software such as Google documents for most of my works. It is so comfortable.
I never used programs like LOGO or Ubundu. Just heard of it. I didn't want to switch over. But when I see my school kids forced to learn these programs though they are not likely to use it ever, I feel sorry for them. Some ideology crazy leftists might have mooted this idea of free software in school education. School kids are learning something to satisfy the ideological perceptions of these so called intellectuals. Why shouldn't we teach students something that the whole world is using? Why do we want to start our experiments and ideological acrobats with poor school kids?

The computer education is designed in most crazy manner. School kids are fond of games and umpteen interesting computer software and the net.  They just need to be given opportunity to use the computer and the broadband and given guidance on how to search the net and find information. Many software are so user friendly that kids will learn not only computer usage but also their curricular subjects also using computes and broadband net. But they are being tortured by designing a computer curriculum that forces them to cram up day to day operations in the computers. It is like teaching them how to swim by making them cram up statements like 'first lift your right hand, force water backwards, hold your breath, beat your legs in the water..." and make them write exams on this; instead of taking them to water and guide them how to swim. The school computer education is rubbish in concept and design.


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