Can Computers in schools make a big difference?

[AB Asks]

There has been a suggestion that kids can achieve more if schools have a higher number of computers. A sample study has been carried out in three deprived area of Britain by computer agency Becta in a �34 million ICT (information and computer technology) test bed project. Can computers in schools really make a difference? How would you feel if your child's school spent a particularly large amount on computers?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6231704.s tm

[cheater123]

Well in my school in which I have just finished has only recently been built and everything is new. A large amount of money has been spent on computers, wireless laptops, projectors, touch-screen white boards etc but in my opinion is all pointless. They just waste so much lesson time as something always goes wrong! The wireless laptops are a complete joke, as sometimes you may not have even been able to log on to the school network as they are so slow.

Half of the teachers know less about computers than the actual students (obviously except the ICT teachers) so if you have a problem then it's no good asking a teacher to help!

Also with the teachers using projectors or the touch-screen whiteboards, it just wastes time. There always seems to be some problem! And if they have only prepared a powerpoint presentation for example for the lesson and something goes wrong, they have to decide what else to do.

The school have also spent thousands on various software for maths and science. I don't this this has ever been used! And then they moan when you lose a book or something because the school 'can't afford to keep buying new books or whatever'!

A waste of time and money!

[Lil O'lady]

In a school that has got it's act together as an organisation, sensible appropriate use of IT will make a difference. In a school that's papering over the cracks caused by poor management, IT will make as much or as little difference as everything else. Sadly Becta too has an agenda and is slightly less than objective with the data it presents regarding the impact of IT. But I think the main point to hang onto is that our society uses IT massively so it should also be made available in schools and used with imagination - like all good teaching resources.