[Fsf-friends] Computing and Learning for young children

[rajeev joseph sebastian]

Hello freedom lovers,

> I would suggest that you do not introduce computers
> at the class 1
> level. In my opinion, there should not be any
> computer classes before
> class 7 or 8. Below that age, children should be

On the contrary, it will be extremely helpful (to say
the least) to introduce programming, and games on the
computer from atleast class 5. I have very good
memories of when i played games like Lemonade and
"programmed" in Logo, in the 1st and 2nd standards
(due to my dad) and learning basic BASIC in the 5th
(in a school environment). Complemented with a steady
grounding in logic from class 5 until the introduction
to Algorithms in 9th/10th it will make our peoples
more _aware_ of the PC and its possibilities than
being paper heroes. 

I think it helped in shaping my perception of what a
computer is, not a machine (/compiler) to fight, and
not a glorified jukebox.

> running around and
> playing more than anything else. They should,
> ideally, learn through
> play. 

I agree with you on this, and suggest that the
computer be used a part of the environment of the
student _in_ the classroom, rather than in a lab of
some sort. Of course this will be more practical only
in the very early classes like 1st and 2nd (where
computer usage will be less and therefore there will
requirement of less number of machines in each class).

If I were microsoft, i would severly "attack" the
lower classes, because children at this level is the
future ( *hint* *hint*). Moreover, in the case of
GNU/Linux, i think it would be MUCH easier to
evagelise young children than very old ones, since
they do not prefer and are not brainwashed yet.

>There is a school in central Kerala that does
> precisely this.
> Children up to class 7 are not forced to sit in the
> class or assigned
> specific tasks. The job of the teacher is to ensure
> that the children
> learn things as a part of whatever they do. This is

Consider for eg, Celestia. It is a very good tool for
visualizing the solar system (if the graphics were a
little better in the sense understandable). 

Geometric principles are introduced quite early in the
indian child's lifetime, and software like KGeo
(perhaps after simplification) could open up the world
of visual mathematics to them, leading away from the
purely symbolic means that is being used today.
Remember a sound spatial sense/perception is very
useful not only in making better civil/mechanical
engineers, but also physicists, software architects
and network engineers. However, today's education
system does not handle this well.

I have taught various aspects of network theory to
students of various levels, and i have found that
tutorials via the spatial perception are much more
useful than long expositions on network history and
what not. I feel that a computer is probably the
_only_ tool (other than (expensive) physical models),
that can give such training to students.

My company (www.stendekrnd.com) is now investigating
the creation of a "desktop" for young children, in
which there is a simplistic GUI command environment to
launch specific programs (such as celestia, etc).

> hard on the teacher,
> but the children do learn, and not just bookish
> knowledge that helps
> only to write answers in examinations.

There will soon be a solution for this too from my
company. watch this space for the next few months for
more info on that :)

Rajeev J Sebastian
Stendek R&D




		
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