MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-04-30 |
| FROM | Ruben I Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] School Board Proposal
|
I'm looking over the school board proposal now.
A few notes on it are in order. First, in the first paragaph, it's not
wise to
attack Marty Markowitz, who is an influential politician in Brooklyn.
In fact, the
term 'shamefully' probibly needs to be used very sparingly.
Today children are graduating school with a small knowledge of
computers. I was told by Marty Markowitz "all I know about computers is
how to surf the Internet, type, and check my email." shamefully most
children who graduate today, may know little more than Mr Markowitz, but
this is the product of not educating our children in the use of computer
technology. Every school today has a computer lab that teaches youths
how to surf, type and check email, while many teachers that want to
incorporate the use of computers into their subject area can't because
of either lack of knowledge, or the cost of software is to over priced
for the schools budget. Teachers that do take the extra step to
implement computer technology into their subject area do so minimally,
for the same reasons.
I would rework this paragraph as follows
Problem:
Today's society needs individuals o increasingly interact with and make
decisions with digital technology. Today children are graduating public
schools with an inadequate background in the fundementals of digital
systems,their usage, and development. Our current leaders, such as Marty
Markowitz, even have a limited background in how digital systems are currently
affecting how the world does business. In a recent conversation with him he
admited,
"all I know about computers is how to surf the Internet, type, and check
my email." Unfortunately, our young people are growing up in a world where this
level of basic computer knowledge leaves them in a position to be exploited by
technology rather than in control of it. And nearly all communications in the
future will be worked through some form of digital system, from general purpose
computers, digital video systems to wireless cellular technology.
The technology has become unexpectdly promininant in our society very
quickly. To no fault of their own, it's caught most of our educators and political
leaders by suprise to the extent in which these systems have integrated themselves into our
social fabric.
Every school today has a computer lab that teaches youths how to surf,
type and check email. But the real revolution in computers and education, just as it has in
the large society, requires a more dispersed use of computers productively in traditional venues of
education. Computers need to reach the science, music, english and math departments of our
schools. Both a lack of knowledge as to the availability of systems and their capabilities
has prevented educators from levaging technology to the degree society at large has. In
addition, the costs of systems and the ability to evaluate information technology needs has
also hampered efforts to bring modern education to our students.
----
This paragraph is also a problem. I can tell that both you and I suffer
the same problem,
being educated in the NYC public schools. Your copy of the last
paragraph of the solutions
topic:
The benefit of this program will be 1st Students will graduate with a
greater understanding of the digital technology that surrounds them,
and they will be able to use this newly found information to help and
educate others, hence starting the process of sharing information to
help better their community. 2nd Teachers will be able to share what
works best for them either in their school or with others, allowing for
a larger scale of trail and success, so that individual community
schools will know what methods bestsuit them. Because the program will
be implemented on site this will assure faster integration with minimal
time, and with the small training staff provided by us, first training
in th school key area staff that will assist in the implementation of
the project, success is inevitable.
My suggested rework:
The benefit of this program will be that Students will graduate with a
greater understanding of the digital technology that surrounds them. <<==== PERIOD
There better understanding of thee systems will allow them to more effectly
collaberate with others on technological issues, and to become beacons of
technology information in a world increasingly ruled by this technology. <<==== TACT
<<== NEW PARAGRAPH
<<== Explain the leap in logic
Propor computer education for teachers will enable <<=== everyone wants to be enabled - RIGHT!
by being able to intelligently collaberate with each other and address
from a position of strength what works best for them either in their
school or with others, allowing for a larger sample of shared expertise,
so that individual community schools will LEARN what methods best suit them.
Because the program will be implemented on site this will assure faster integration
with minimal time. Our propsal will bring a small training staff provided by NYLXS
of experienced instructors in computer technology. By allowing teachers to first train <<=== COMPOUND SENTENCE!!!
in th school with key staff, the implementation of the project will be simple and straight forward.
---------------------------------------
Comments on the Organization and It's expertise
Organization and its expertise
NYLXS is a non-profit Free Software education organization which has been educating individuals
with regard to computer systems and their usage for nearly 2 years. Our educational staff includes
our President, Marco Scoffier, a graduate of Yale University, Bill Donahoue, Masters in Electrical
Engineering at Cooper Union, Peter Norton, Senior System administrator and lead technical advisor for
the New York Linux User Group, David Sugar, writer of the C++ common libraries for project GNU,
and Ruben Safir, founder of NYLXS, Graduate of LIU and instructor in programming at multiple Universities
and other educational venues.
NYLXS is the leading source of Free Computing resources in the NY tristate area.
Work on this and I'll look at more this afternoon.
PLEASE CONTACT CONCORDE and keep that communications line OPEN, otherwise we're wasting out time
Ruben
--
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