Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
By Manali Oak
Published: 11/2/2008
The statements are often made, even by some of its best-known proponents, that "Linux is not ready for the desktop" and
that "Linux is still just suitable mainly for niche markets." Regardless of the extent to which these statements are true in general,
there are several major categories of applications for which Linux is clearly ready right now -- and, moreover, is by far the best
choice.
One of these is educational institutions, a category for which Linux and other open source software are particularly well suited. In
fact, education could become one the biggest beneficiaries of such software. At the same time, the widespread use of Linux in
education could add further momentum to the development of open source software and to its adoption over the entire spectrum of
applications.
The Role of Computers in Education
Before looking at the pros and cons of using Linux and other open source software in education, it is instructive to briefly consider
the broader question of the extent to which computers themselves belong in schools.
Over the past several decades computers have come to play a virtually indispensible role in businesses and other organizations of
nearly every type and size because of their ability to cut costs and increase productivity. Educational organizations are clearly no
exception, and computers have repeatedly demonstrated that they have immense value in administrative tasks such as accounting,
scheduling, printing and communication. In addition, they have also been shown to be very useful for instructors in preparing their
classroom materials, including research and printing.
11
Moreover, computers also can have a beneficial role in classroom use by students. The issue has rarely been whether computers
belong in the classroom at all, but rather how they should be used by students and to what extent. Such use can be broadly
classified into four categories:
(1) studying about computer technology itself, which is commonly referred to as computer science and information technology
(IT),
(2) using computers as a research tool,
(3) using computers to study specific subjects which can easily or efficiently be taught by computer and
(4) learning how to use specific application programs.
Computer science and information technology are closely related fields of study, and there is much overlap between them. The
difference is that the former emphasizes the theoretical aspects of computer software, hardware, communications, etc., while the
latter focusses more on their practical aspects, such as programming, setting up networks, implementing security measures,
developing web sites and designing and operating databases.
Both are very legitimate and important areas of education. This is because computer technology is becoming pervasive throughout
our society and is playing a crucial role in the unprecedented and accelerating technology and industrial revolution that we are
now witnessing. It is at the core of the rapid advances that are occurring in almost every field of human endeavor, including the
sciences, medicine, engineering, manufacturing, communications, defense and even the arts.
Computer science/information technology should thus be included as one component of the science and engineering curriculum,
along with such related topics as electronics, mathematics, physics and materials science. Such study is appropriate in some form
for all levels of education, ranging from elementary to post-graduate.
One of the most important types of use for computers is research, which can mean two rather different things. One is gathering
information from the Internet, which should be taught as a complement to traditional library research techniques (but not as a
replacement for them). The other is using the calculating and control capabilities of computers for scientific and engineering
experiments (e.g., the control of experimental robots). This is also a valuable skill that should be taught as part of the science and
engineering curriculum.
Computers are also proving to be increasingly useful as a supplementary, or in some cases even an alternative, means of
instruction for a wide range of academic and vocational subjects, including foreign languages, spelling, mathematics, science, law
enforcement and even pilot training. This is a result of their ability to provide instant feedback and a very high degree of
interactivity at an extremely low cost (far lower than that of an individual instructor). It is also related to their almost infinite
ability to be customized at minimal cost according to the specific requirements of the subject being studied, the level of the
student, etc.
Learning how to use specific application programs (such as word processors, spread sheets, slide making programs and graphics
programs) is probably the most common use for computers in the schools. One reason is, of course, that the ability to utilize such
programs is important for effective computer use. Another is that this category is the easiest for most teachers to teach, as
relatively little understanding of computers is required to be able to instruct students on how to use a word processor or surf the
web.
Fortunately, it is relatively easy to attain adequate skill levels with many of the commonly used application programs. Such skills
should not be an end in themselves, except perhaps in vocational courses, because individual computer programs, especially
proprietary ones (for which there is often planned obsolescence), tend to become obsolete in a few years. Rather, the emphasis
should be more on understanding the fundamentals of how computers work so that the students will be able to quickly learn any
programs or techniques that might be available when they need them in the future.
Computers can thus be seen to be an extremely important tool for academic institutions, although they are certainly not a panacea
for all that ails the classroom. They definitely complement traditional education techniques, but they are a long way away from
replacing instructors with outstanding in-person teaching skills. Moreover, it will be a long time, if ever, before computers will be
able to eliminate the need to practice and develop such ancient skills as writing (on paper), library research, human-to-human
interaction and variegated physical activity. Not only are these skills important goals in themselves, but they are often still very
important for studying a wide range of other subjects.