The Chronicle of Higher Education: Colloquy

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I support the concept of introducing computer technology into the educational curriculum. What bothers me is what I think of as the "equity problem."

Many school districts refuse to "favor" certain computer-savy teachers with new computer hardware technology. Instead, in the name of "equity" there is "hysteria and a stampede" to install x (generally 5 or 6) computers in every classroom, regardless of the teacher's potential to integrate the computer into her classroom teaching.

Since there is the general feeling that computers are obsolete after only 4 years, you find districts like the Austin (Tx) Independent School District in the process of acquiring 24,000 computers and a plan to replace 25 percent of all district computers each year. Much of this money being paid to computer hardware vendors would be better invested in training for the teachers and, in some cases, smaller class sizes.

-- Nelson A. Logan, Consulting Scientist/Engineer (posted 1/14, 4 p.m., E.S.T.)
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