By: Jenna Golis

1
Do computers
make students
smarter?
By Jenna Golis ISTC 201.420
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• Henry Jay Becker
• Education professor at University of California
• -Students learn more skills by using computers
• More computer use in class means better word
  processing skills
• More likely to use computer at home if used at
  school
• Supports constructivist philosophy of teaching

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CONSTRUCTIVIST PHILOSOPHY Facilitator- Provide
opportunities
and resources for students to
discover/construct concepts for
themselves Sense Making- Encourage students
to think about the subject matter Interest,
Effort- Students interest and effort are
more important than material theyre working
on
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• Larry Cuban
• Education professor at Stanford
• Does not believe computers need to be used in
  school
• Teachers should prepare students for real life
• Schools waste money on computers
• SAT and other tests are useless
• Only predict 1st year in college
• - Standardized tests taken in elementary and
  middle school show barely any relationship to
  future job performance
• As test scores rise over time, policy makers will
  change the tests and scores will decline
• Believes in traditional philosophy of teaching

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TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY Explainer- Teacher must
go over material in a structured way to
show students how to do work, and assign
practice. Curriculum- Communitys judgment
about what children need to be able to know
and do. Motivation is useful but its more
important that students learn whats in
their texts.
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Teachers and computers -8 out of 10 public school
teachers have computers at home that they use
regularly -Most teachers use computers more at
home than at school -Most teachers believe that
computers in school improve teaching and
learning
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• Preschoolers and computers
• -Computer games include
• Reader Rabbit
• Pajama Sam
• Winnie the Poohs Adventures
• Different games help children learn
• Colors
• Shapes
• Letters
• Songs
• Strategy

8
Elementary Schoolers and Computers -Do research
projects -Look up library book numbers when in
library class -Play games -Surf internet to
figure out how to use it
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• Middle High school students and Computers
• Research papers/projects
• In school library- look up book info. and
  catalog numbers
• Download music
• IM and e-mail friends
• High schoolers can look up info. on colleges,
  classes, majors
• Play games

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• College students and Computers
• - Typing papers
• - IMing e-mailing
• - Surfing the net
• - Blackboard
• - Looking up grades
• Online shopping ebay, clothes sites
• - Playing games

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Conclusion Computers are advantageous to
students but whether they make students smarter
depends on who is asked.
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The End Jenna Golis ISTC
201.420