Friday, September 10, 2010

The elements of a framework

The protagonists of the teaching-learning are the students and teachers, so that when analyzing the implications of Computer Education, should be taken into account these two fundamental elements.

With respect to students and the impact of computer use in education, the first thing can be said is that the way to use the computer in the classroom is closely linked to the Theories of Learning.

When the computer came into use in education, was closely related to associative thinking. The basis of this model of learning is the stimulus-response relationship and the trial of the action of the child or the child is limited to choosing between "right" and "wrong", "good" and "bad" or "some" and "false." If the computer handles the tasks of this type, for example, the teaching of the mechanical processes of arithmetic or the rules of accentuation, the teacher is relieved of this work and can focus, in principle, to provide its students an understanding of these processes and their implementation. But this scheme is too simplistic. To consider other options in using the computer as a teaching assistant should review what has happened in the field of theories of education and cognitive psychology.

Solso's review makes the child's psychological development shows that during most of the twentieth century, two theories that dominated thinking in this field were those of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky then. Piaget proposed four stages in cognitive development: sensorimotor stage 0 to 2 years of age, the preoperative stage 2 to 7 years, the concrete operational stage from 7 to 12 years and the operations phase formal 12 to 15 years. For its part, Vygotsky defined three stages: The social stage, from 0 to 3 years, characterized by the formation of relationships between objects, the egocentric stage of 3 to 7 years, characterized by the formation of networks of concepts and stage of the inner self, age 7 onwards, characterized by abstract concepts.

But it was not until the sixties when it developed a new perspective, due to Gagné, psychological explanation for the learning and behavioral model was integrated into a scheme primarily cognitive, which highlights the importance of meaningful learning . While the behavioral model established that learning was determined by the response to a stimulus, and on the other hand, theories of cognitive development were the characterization of the various mental operations at different ages, the new theoretical framework speaks of eight types of learning that on going development of the individual is less important behavioral response to stimuli and is gaining importance abstract thinking.

The first type of learning is learning signs, which is learning to respond to a signal, for example, to line up when the bell rings to end recess. The second, Stimulus-response learning, as when using the computer to exercise the basic arithmetic operations and get "points" for each exercise correctly. The third is the chain that connects a series of two or more associations Stimulus-Response, for example, to beat the computer in a game.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

The use of computers and computer education

Many schools, for not having a clear strategy, they have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in computers and associated technology, and have put into operation "Computer Labs" in which students receive instruction to develop skills in handling keyboard, acquire basic knowledge about the functioning of different parts of computers, word processing practice and perhaps learn some programming, through a language like BASIC.

 Most often, the design of the laboratory, the decisions on the selection of the contents of the "computer classes and the teaching of these topics are carried out by engineers or technicians in the area of Informatics. Intrinsically, it has a justification in the fact that today's world requires computer use in the performance of many of the existing work activities. It is therefore important that schools teach the basic principles of operation and major applications like word processing and numerical calculation. But it is worth reflecting on the fact that, except in cases where the question of technical or professional future of computing, the computer is not an end but a means.

This does not mean that the teaching of programming or the use of application packages are not important, then we can say that the principles underlying the programming of computers are essentially logic and analytical reasoning, and that is where lies the main educational value of this activity, but must consider the educational objectives to be achieved for each activity, including computer according to the age of the students.

Other schools, instead of or in addition to computer labs, have a computer in every classroom and teachers use them to provide "educational programs" to their students. In this case, we can say that the computer is used as a teaching assistant. However, the first great temptation in this mode is to rely too much on the so-called educational programs. The vast majority of them are designed on behavioral models that are often limited to the exercise of memory or some specific skill and regulate learning by rewards or punishments. To illustrate this situation, Davies used the metaphor of a vending machine gum. In these machines a coin is inserted in the hope of leaving the gum and some little surprise. This temptation is rooted in the idea that the teaching-learning process is centered on the master, who hopes the result that the student will use technology to learn something.

Another situation that can be given in schools is the belief that the CD-ROM encyclopedias or the Internet are the great solution. By asking students to research a topic and perform work, most likely we are promoting to show us his ability to "copy and paste." What was once consulted several books and was writing by hand or typewriter, you can now do in a fraction of computer time and without having to read. This case corresponds to the metaphor of a driver who drives a race car on the track, wants to reach the goal, plan, know how to drive all the way, has you covered. The teacher wants to meet the objectives, design learning activities carefully, choose the theme of work to be developed by students, but it often happens that the assignment gives unexpected results.

With this analysis we can conclude that when the activities that take place in the school with computers, are designed to ensure that students acquire technical skills to work on those computers, computer use is focused on "Education Computer. " On the other hand, when the activities are performed with the computer are designed to support the learning of a topic, you are using "Computers in Education." But both aspects can be integrated.

A third metaphor of computer use proposed by Davies which corresponds to a game of chess. The teacher plans the strategy for their students are acquiring the knowledge, skills and attitudes gradually, with activities that give immediate results and activities that provide long-term results. According to their plan, teachers and their students use computers in various ways to ensure that education gives way to step. To do this, teachers organize different activities, are prepared to detect deviations, can predict problems and are prepared to accept that sometimes insurmountable barriers. In this mode, the computer is used to support learning in different subjects and the teacher becomes a true teaching assistant. This is the "Education for Information."

Computers In Education, students must acquire new knowledge while using the computer, must reach high levels of thought, critical thinking skills and acquire practical skills in computer use.

By way of summary, the Computer Education is important because it provides balance between learning the skills needed for everyday use of the computer, with learning the contents of different subjects, taking into account the computer for easier searching, organization and presentation of information and allows analytical thinking skills, critical and creative.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The effective use of computers in school

The computer is a universal and powerful tool to process information and the teachers can become a teaching assistant special. However, do not forget that it is an instrument. That is, the computer itself does not perform any action, but in the hands of the master, can be used to teach. This should be the starting point for developing strategies that allow teachers to effectively use computers.

On the road to be traveled to achieve an effective use of computers in school, raises questions such as: What content should be included or excluded? What is the best sequence? What strategy should I use? How can they be sustained learning? How Computers can be linked with different subjects? There are no simple answers to such questions. What you can do is develop a method that allows each teacher to design their courses with greater use of technology.

In this paper, we first analyze the most common situations that occur in schools when seeking to use computers with some educational purpose, taking into account that many times in a school can be given simultaneously different ways to use computers. Not find that this analysis is comprehensive, but the objective is to define an integrative model of various modes of computer use at school.

Then make a brief review of learning theories that have been and are related to computer use as a teaching tool. At this point, define the elements to set a framework that allows the design of learning activities which use the computer.

Having defined the framework proposes a model that represents the Design Process with Information and Educational Activities for the record format of these activities to facilitate the design and control of them.

Finally there are some specific examples and makes some recommendations on the use of Internet.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Science and Technology The key to the progress in the evolution of Education

Science and technology future of societies in developing school culture.

Science and technology must be applied and at the forefront of educational institutions, because that is where the future are the people who will be responsible to multiply the knowledge they have built and tested from the womb. For the history of computers in education.

Not only will you find that young people learn to use technology appropriately in educational institutions for educational, but also that teachers will provide a solid foundation that will contribute to progress and prepare them for work and social life. To reach these objectives is needed at first as teachers are prepared academically and methodologically to give their lectures. With these arguments it is worth making the following questions and analyze the depth of them:

"The state provides training through the secretaries of education courses for teachers on science and technology?

Do spend money on training teachers to improve their teaching or to climb the educational ladder and improve your income?

"Current students are better motivated with a master teacher or one who uses methods with technological resources?

In its review of the literature on this topic, Bawden says that "technological literacy includes (among other characteristics): knowing what the functions of a technology, for example, the computer, choosing between their duties to find the application adequate to the task he faces in a given moment. Several studies have focused uses of technology, especially computer and Internet, to support the learning of reading and writing that contribute to good job performance. For example, Coiro explore:

 The read characteristics of a website and the difficulties that are presented to the reader who has to learn to respond to different types of hyperlinks within the text, which sometimes distracted from the main text, and sometimes provide information that helps your understanding. She points out that different strategies are required for the reading comprehension of such texts and so is used to assess whether or not the hyperlink. Study also points out that exchanges of this type of reader with text provides a more complete model of the reader which includes factors such as motivation, effectiveness and efficiency in addition to cognitive factors.

  Orihuela and Santos (2005) describe their experience concerning the use of digital journals (weblogs) as follows: "" The online publication of the tasks of class is especially relevant in areas devoted to the study of writing and design of web browsing , disciplines in which it is essential that students develop the skills associated with reading and writing through links "."

  In another example, Garces Perez shares the experience of using a software to support the phonological development of beginning readers. Hogue, Nellon, Patterson and Schulze (2004) states: "The technology also serves as a motivation for students to be an interactive platform and live."

In conclusion   is clearly observed that educational institutions are not preparing new generations for the present and the future or that has been presented flaws in the development of labor skills. For this reason we emphasize that there must be coordination between all elements of the educational system and have clear purposes of the development of science and technology and apply them in search of positive results to ensure that students have performed well in his future. Contrary to traditional teaching we call upon to assess the functionality of the practices that are maintained by tradition, to examine the correspondence between aims and outcomes and determine the effectiveness of the forms of teaching with regard to the purposes.


The programming of multimedia applications has made and marked with the passage of time a very positive change in my workplace because through them I support for improving my teaching practices, and with which I take my students to enter the era of new technologies, thus leaving the background lectures. Similarly, programming is a tool that provides the ability to invent and create visually interesting ideas and many successes that make the classes are enjoyable and attractive to students.

It added that the multimedia application programming part of the benefits listed above wide my field of action where I can devote to the teaching of it and therefore my job performance will promote a positive and therefore my creative ability brings me to be competent at working society.

Scheduling is also important for my personal life because I believe that the main ingredient for good relationships with others is through communication and space in which I interact with my family and friends.


The innovations of the devices that appear daily contribute to technological progress, which makes human beings use less brain and not make mistakes, because machines are perfectly designed to do all sorts of mathematical operations, to transmit the information wish, to travel with us without having to leave home, to serve as a means to make business decisions, and even have fun playing football etc.  It is evident that the machines work every time is faster with better results. In my personal opinion I recognize as an effective working tool that supports in all governmental and nongovernmental institutions but do not know that little by little, without realizing they are moving people into work by hand for example, dispensers are cafes where we put a coin in a crack, we select that we want and the machine passes the product, gasoline pumps and the person tanking your car and the machine is responsible for the quantity requested for this purpose We can see the so-called self-service. With reference to this also see in the future the machines will be the owners of the land, they will prevail, because they can think, talk and act like human beings and virtual love affair with the famous and the man will satisfy your pleasures virtually recedes even more people will not have physical contact with them, which makes going to take control of nativity and to serve as a method of planning and little by little you will see fewer people and more robots populating the planet.