Since 1979, Apple Computer's Educational Grants program has provided computer equipment and training to schools through a nationwide competitive process. Computers in the Classroom tells the inspiring stories of some of these schools, showing how technology has revived the classroom. This illustrated book is an indispensable resource for teachers and parents, showing examples of students' work and with information on funding resources, technical support, software, and where to find electric and print data. 100 illus.

Impelled by a demand for increasing American strength in the new global economy, many educators, public officials, business leaders, and parents argue that school computers and Internet access will improve academic learning and prepare students for an information-based workplace. But just how valid is this argument? In Oversold and Underused, one of the most respected voices in American education argues that when teachers are not given a say in how the technology might reshape schools, computers are merely souped-up typewriters and classrooms continue to run much as they did a generation ago. In his studies of early childhood, high school, and university classrooms in Silicon Valley, Larry Cuban found that students and teachers use the new technologies far less in the classroom than they do at home, and that teachers who use computers for instruction do so infrequently and unimaginatively. Cuban points out that historical and organizational economic contexts influence how teachers use technical innovations. Computers can be useful when teachers sufficiently understand the technology themselves, believe it will enhance learning, and have the power to shape their own curricula. But these conditions can't be met without a broader and deeper commitment to public education beyond preparing workers. More attention, Cuban says, needs to be paid to the civic and social goals of schooling, goals that make the question of how many computers are in classrooms trivial.

During the technology boom of the 1980s and 1990s, computers seemed set to revolutionize education. Do any of these promises sound familiar? * Technology would help all students learn better, thanks to multimedia programs capable of adapting to individual needs, learning styles, and skill levels. * Technology would transform the teacher's role from a purveyor of a one-size-fits-all curriculum to a facilitator of student exploration. * Technology would replace static textbooks with dynamic, interactive learning resources that were always up-to-date. * Technology would boost test scores, as engaged and motivated students acquired advanced skills, problem-solving abilities, and a growing thirst for knowledge. By 2001, educational materials developer William D. Pflaum had begun to suspect that technology was not the all-purpose solution it had seemed. He decided to see how computers were really being used in U.S. classrooms and embarked on a yearlong road trip to a cross-section of elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the nation. In this book, he recounts his journey. Although he did find technology application to admire, too often he found broken promises: millions spent for little measurable gain, problems instead of solutions, a fix instead of a fix. This inside look at computer use in our schools shares the voices, experiences, triumphs, and frustrations of educators and students in urban, rural, and suburban settings. The author provides insight into the key roles that computers currently play in the classroom and clarifies what we must do ensure that the promise of technology is fulfilled . . . and that students truly benefit. Note: This product listing is for the reflowable (ePub) version of the book.

Designed to help teachers use computer technology to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the educational process. In retaining its organization according to a three-fold taxonomy - Tutor, Tool, and Tutee, this text provides some organization to the myriad of possible computer applications in education.

Extremely clear and comprehensive, Computer Education for Teachers features classroom lessons, activities, and projects, over 300 clear illustrations, state-of-the-art technology developments, a chapter on multimedia, two Internet chapters, a large collection of annotated Internet Sites in each chapter, a chapter on computers in special education, an annotated recommended software listing, a summary of current computer research, and an extensive bibliography.Designed to meet the needs of the student unfamiliar with the use of the computer in the classroom, the book is written for undergraduate and graduate education students who want an up-to-date, readable, practical, and concise introduction to computers for teachers. It assumes no prior experience with computers. The chapters are written so that the reader can pursue them in any order.

This volume integrates research findings from three multinational studies conducted to examine the impact of children's use of computers in school. Conclusions are drawn from in-depth analyses of trends in more than 20 nations. Its seven authors from four nations were key researchers on these projects. Both a study and a product of the information age, this work is of prime importance to teachers, teacher educators, and school administrators. This work is unique in three important ways: * it presents data gathered in many regions of the world; * many of the authors are well-known and respected for their previous work in educational studies; and * the chapters are designed in such a way that the majority of the book is easily accessible to professionals such as classroom teachers who are interested primarily in findings, results, and outcomes rather than the methodology of the research.