June 1997 — Features

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Computers in Education: A Brief History

There is now a government-wide effort to dramatically expand the U.S. portion of the Internet. The aim is to interconnect the nationís educational infrastructure to its knowledge and information centers. Elementary and high schools, colleges and universities will be linked to research centers and laboratories so that all may share access to digital libraries, databases and diverse scientific instruments. [25]

PROJECT-ORIENTED EDUCATION

In about 1987, Robert Tinker and his staff at TERC helped develop the National Geographics KidsNet: a new, innovative way to bring inquiry-based learning to elementary school children. These students perform experiments on such topics as acid rain and water quality. They gather data; analyze trends and patterns on topics of current scientific, social and geographic interest; and communicate with each other and with practicing scientists using electronic mail. They send the results of their local experiments to be combined with national and international results.

There were several significant instances in which the childrenís tests led to the discovery that school drinking water and air pollution standards were not being met. In 1991, KidsNet units were used in more than 6,000 classrooms in 72 countries. More than 90% of teachers using KidsNet reported that it significantly increased studentsí interest in science, and that their classes spent almost twice the amount of time on science than they otherwise did. [26]

In another network activity, Tinker created a Global Laboratory Network. Low-cost devices for measuring ozone, soil moisture and ultraviolet radiation were developed to measure the effects of global warming. Students collected and analyzed data and shared it with the other 80 sites in 30 countries. It has grown to 3,500 schools in 61 countries. In 1991, students ranging in age from 11-18 years, from six continents, measured air and soil temperatures, precipitation, bird and insect presence and the stage of plant growth thus linking meteorological, physical and biology observations to a major seasonal event and creating a "snapshot" of the planet.[27] Buckminster Fuller had earlier named such a global device, created to describe a holistic phenomena, as a "macroscope."

The significance of these projects are numerous. These networks are examples of project-oriented science education. It permits all students, regardless of their grade level or academic preparation, to participate in experiments that pertain to real scientific problems of social significance. Students create maps displaying a holistic phenomenon drawn from a mosaic of local measurements. It engages scientists and encourages them to communicate with students and direct them to information sources not readily available in the classroom. It permits teachers to act as consultants rather than lecturers. Thus, computers and telecommunications create a global classroom and a new alternative infrastructure for education with a social significance.