Computers for young children in India.

Computers for young children in India. Successful computer scientist Desh Deshpande, founder of SycamoreNetworks of Chelmsford, Massachusetts Chelmsford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. It is located 24 miles from Boston and, bordering on the City of Lowell, it is part of the Greater Lowell metropolitan area. , has pledged $100 million over thenext 20 years to his alma mater ma��ter?n. Chiefly BritishMother.[Latin mter; see m , IIT IIT - Integrated Information Technology [the elite Indian Institute The Indian Institute in central Oxford, England is located at the north end of Catte Street on the corner with Holywell Street and faching down Broad Street from the east.[1] ofTechnology], Madras Madras.1 State and former province, India: see Tamil Nadu.2 City, India: see Chennai. .... High-tech tycoons are part of a startling star��tle?v. star��tled, star��tling, star��tlesv.tr.1. To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start.2. To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly. See Synonyms at frighten. newtrend in India, [one that] recognizes the fact that India is a fertileground for growing future high-tech entrepreneurs. (Pallava, 2000, p.794) People in India are now accustomed to stories such as the oneabove. These investments are good for India. Most contributions bySilicon Valley business leaders, however, are limited to institutions ofhigher education higher educationStudy beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. . Yet state and central [federal] governments agree thatelementary education elementary educationor primary educationTraditionally, the first stage of formal education, beginning at age 5–7 and ending at age 11–13. is the central bedrock of human development, andthey also recognize technology as a means of strengthening thisdevelopmental edifice. To explore the issues related to technology in Indian schools, wegathered information using different modalities ModalitiesThe factors and circumstances that cause a patient's symptoms to improve or worsen, including weather, time of day, effects of food, and similar factors. , as shown in Figure 1.We interviewed parents, grandparents grandparentsnpl → abuelos mplgrandparentsgrand npl → grands-parents mplgrandparentsgrand npl , teachers, and principals fromIndia. The first author also visited some representative schools incities and villages of India. The second author shares her experiencesand impressions from her time as a teacher in India. As it is hard tofind academic papers and books on the use of technology in elementaryschools in India, we had to rely on information available on theGovernment of India The Government of India (Hindi: भारत सरकार [3]Bhārat Sarkār), officially referred to as the Union Government, and commonly as Central Government Web sites and in a few magazine, newspaper, andjournal articles. Since both authors have lived and worked in India, thereader needs to be aware that our "subjectivity is like a garmentthat cannot be removed" (Peshkin, 1988, p. 17). To counter thisbias, we have used the participants' voices to present differentperspectives. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Cultural History Many citizens of India view mathematics as a part of their history.India was the birthplace of the great mathematicians Mahavira (A.D. 850)and Bhaskar (A.D. 1114), who propounded the use of zero in arithmeticoperations. Brahmagupta (A.D. 630) was the first to demonstrate the useof negative numbers, while Aryabhata (A.D. 476) invented the use ofcontinuous fractions to solve indeterminate equations. The Indianculture "emphasizes the importance of abstract thinking and [the]contemplative mind," declared Swaminathan, one of the grandparentswhom we interviewed. This attitude perhaps illustrates the reason why somany Indians have embraced computer technology. Although many subcultures Main articles: Subculture and History of subcultures in the 20th centuryThis is a list of subcultures. AAnarcho-punk BB-boy Backpacking (travel) BDSM Beatnik Bills in India have long valued mathematicseducation, the growing demand for technology and science outside andwithin India has placed an overwhelming pressure on children, parents,and teachers (Thirumurthy, 2000). Dr. Swami, a 75-year-old retiredManaging Director of the National Research Development Corporation ofIndia, in an interview, pondered why mathematics is so valued in thesubcontinent sub��con��ti��nent?n.1. A large landmass, such as India, that is part of a continent but is considered either geographically or politically as an independent entity.2. : [Indian subcultures value a] spirit of enquiry, going beyond thisworld into the celestial ... [They consider] questions on astronomy andthe relationship of astronomy to the life on this planet then.... All ofthese have been recorded in ancient scriptures. What has distinguishedthis culture is that it is also strong in mathematics. In this context,mathematics provided a structural framework for visualizing andunderstanding the natural phenomenon and astrological as��trol��o��gy?n.1. The study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs.2. Obsolete Astronomy. phenomenon. Mathis considered one of the knowledge streams that foster a contemplativemind in the child. (Thirumurthy, 2000, p. 5) Mathematics is believed to emphasize abstract thinking and arouseinnate curiosity and inquiry. Children in India are challenged to thinkin the abstract, even in elementary school; teachers seldom providemanipulatives when teaching mathematics. When considering technologicaladvances, Dr. Swami notes that "computer hardware and softwarerequire a lot of abstract thinking." He believes this connection tothe abstract contributed to many Indians pursuing computer science as acareer. How did technology in schools get started in India? In "July1984, some 9,000 students [9th- through 11th-graders] in 250 schoolsacross the county were introduced to a new genre of teachers--thecomputer" (Viswanath, 1985, p. 178). Dubbed "Computer Literacy Understanding computers and related systems. It includes a working vocabulary of computer and information system components, the fundamental principles of computer processing and a perspective for how non-technical people interact with technical people. and Studies in Schools" (CLASS 1983-84), an ambitious pilot projectacquired 12,000 BBC microcomputers, with British aid. The vision ofCLASS 2002 is to expand awareness about computers and their value toteaching and learning. It aspires to build models of computer educationin schools, and its immediate goal is universalization In social work practice and psychotherapy, universalization is a supportive intervention utilized by the therapist to reassure and encourage his/her client. Universalization places the client’s experience in the context of other individuals who are experiencing the same, or of computerliteracy among schoolchildren schoolchildrenschool npl → ��coliers mpl;(at secondary school) → coll��giens mpl; lyc��ens mplschoolchildrenschool within the next five years. The Department of Education has mandated that all stategovernments, together with the Computer Education Plan (CEP CEPcongenital erythropoietic porphyria. CEPabbr.congenital erythropoietic porphyria ), anorganization responsible for developing technology-based curriculum,must formulate a procedure to monitor and evaluate the progress ofcomputer literacy in the state schools. The government offers grants upto $52,000 (Rs. 25 lakhs) per government school for switching over to anintegrated technology curriculum (National Policy on Education, 2002).Although these policies are in place, the social stratification Noun 1. social stratification - the condition of being arranged in social strata or classes within a groupstratificationcondition - a mode of being or form of existence of a person or thing; "the human condition" ofschools is a major impediment for achieving the goals. School Systems in India It is a valid assumption that most children enrolled in the stateor central government schools are from rural, low-income, or transientfamilies. In cities and big towns, the majority of children from themiddle class and the elite attend private schools. These schools followcurricula set by the Central Board of Secondary Education This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.You can assist by [ editing it] now. (CBSE CBSE Central Board of Secondary EducationCBSE Component-Based Software EngineeringCBSE Center for Biophysical Sciences and EngineeringCBSE Center for Biomolecular Science & EngineeringCBSE Computer-Based System Engineering ) or bythe State Board of Education. Private schools have earned the trust ofthe public, and so there is a great preference for these schools overgovernment schools. They are not under the strict vigilance of eitherthe state or the central government; hence, they enjoy academic freedom.This freedom contributes to a wide disparity in what is being taught inthese schools. In fact, one of the schools I visited was deemed anautonomous institution. As long as they prepared their students for theboard examinations conducted by the CBSE/State Board, the government didnot interfere with their day-to-day operations. The competition amongprivate schools is tough and the schools have a performance- andresult-oriented approach to education. Since private schools chargetuition (anywhere from $6 to $80 a month), their laboratories andlibraries are usually better equipped than the government schools and somore computers are available for children than in the state-fundedschools. A Freewheeling free��wheel��ing?adj.1. a. Free of restraints or rules in organization, methods, or procedure.b. Heedless of consequences; carefree.2. Relating to or equipped with a free wheel. Education Project A lively debate wages over when computer education should begin forchildren. Some even question if money spent on high technology is notwasteful in light of other pressing issues, such as high poverty and lowliteracy (e.g., Viswanath, 1985). In their view, children at theelementary school level are better served by learning the traditionalthree R's. Nevertheless, many recognize that computers are avaluable tool in teaching and learning those basics. Dr. Sugata Mitra Sugata Mitra is the Chief Scientist at NIIT. He is the instigator of the Hole in the Wall experiment, where a computer was placed in a hole in a wall in an Indian slum, and children were allowed to freely use it. He is a leading proponent of Minimally Invasive Education. , Director of the Center for Research in CognitiveSystems at the National Institute of Information Technology Limited(NIIT NIIT National Institute of Information Technology (India)NIIT Nust Institute of Information Technology (Pakistan)NIIT National Information Infrastructure Testbed ), conducted an unusual research project that he called"Minimally Invasive Education Minimally Invasive Education (or MIE) is a term used to describe how children learn in unsupervised environments. It was derived from an experiment done by Sugata Mitra in 1999 often called The Hole in the Wall. " (Mitra, 2000). In an effort todetermine if children in the lower socioeconomic strata could beself-taught to operate computers, Mitra designed a"hole-in-the-wall" experiment. He defined the computerliterate computer literacyn.The ability to operate a computer and to understand the language used in working with a specific system or systems.computer literate adj. child as one who could turn on a personal computer; createpictures using MS Paint; cut, paste, and drag; navigate a Web page; andsend and receive E-mail. In January 1999, Mitra set up a kiosk along the outside boundarywall of the NIIT Headquarters in New Delhi New Delhi(dĕl`ē), city (1991 pop. 294,149), capital of India and of Delhi state, N central India, on the right bank of the Yamuna River. , and installed a computer(with Internet connection) facing the neighborhood slum. This computerstation was easily accessible to children and adults from the slum. Mostof these children did not attend school; the few who did were in"government schools of very poor quality (... low resources, lowteacher or student motivation, poor curriculum and general lack ofinterest)" (p. 6), and they had no knowledge of English. With avideo camera and a mirror, experimenters inside the building couldmonitor the activity at the kiosk. Children were drawn to the computer immediately; within four hoursthey were able to turn it on and browse. In a short time (with someadult intervention), they were setting up home pages with MP3 musicplaying in the background. The regular users were very young children,both boys and girls boys and girlsmercurialisannua. (ages 6 to 12). The MS Paint software and the DisneyWeb site were the most popular activities with this group of youngchildren. Since the children did not have any knowledge of computers, theyinvented their own ingenious names for various icons on the screen. Theycalled the cursor the "sui," or a needle, and the hourglass hourglass,glass instrument for measuring time, usually consisting of two bulbs united by a narrow neck. One bulb is filled with fine sand that runs through the neck into the other bulb in an hour's time. a"damru," a small drum that Lord Siva holds in His hand.Whenever the "damru" appeared, they knew the "thing"(computer) was doing something and that they had to wait. The same year, Mitra set up another kiosk within the governmentmiddle school of Shivpuri (in the state of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh(mäd`yə prä`dĭsh), state (2001 provisional pop. 60,385,118), 119,010 sq mi (308,240 sq km), central India, between the Deccan and the Ganges plain. The capital is Bhopal. ), which wasopen to the children from the school and the neighborhood. The childrenat this site did have previous exposure to computers at school. Theycould also read and write English. The regular users were mostlyteenagers, ages 13 to 19, and some older adults. A few of them were moreadept with computers, as they had played computer games. PopularBollywood film music was in great demand, and a few of them used DOS tocreate their own directories. The striking contrast between the children at the NIIT site andthose at Shivpuri was that the children at the latter site did notexplore as much as the younger children did at NIIT. They were notpatient, and they had a tendency to ask a caretaker or someone else forinstruction every step of the way. They were not as freewheeling andinsightful as the younger children. Mitra established that socioeconomic strata did not affectchildren's exploration abilities--given a chance they, too, couldsucceed. Inspired by the technological tool, these young children taughtthemselves to operate the computer and in the process explored othersubjects. Mitra's project aroused the children's naturalcuriosity and motivated them to problem solve, cooperate with others,and take responsibility for their own learning. These important aspectsof education are often absent in traditional schools. This in itselfjustifies the introduction of computers into early childhood educationclassrooms. Mitra's project attracted the attention of media and motivatedseveral government and world agencies (Peterson, 2000) to fund similarprojects. Mitra provided an update on the project: Yes, we have some support now and are repeating the experiment intwo locations. The first location is a spread-out slum called Madangir,in Delhi, where the Government of Delhi has funded 30 computers. Thesecond is in the Sindhudurg district Sindhudurg (सिंधुदूर्ग in Marathi) is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri district. of Maharashtra, where the ICICIbank ICICI Bank (formerly Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India) is India's largest private sector bank in market capitalization and second largest overall in terms of assets. has funded a project to put 10 computers "on the road,"so to speak. We also have funding from the International FinanceCorporation for setting up 66 computers in 22 locations all over thecountry. (personal communication, July 4, 2002) The introduction of computers in remote villages kindled kin��dle?1?v. kin��dled, kin��dling, kin��dlesv.tr.1. a. To build or fuel (a fire).b. To set fire to; ignite.2. a fire inthe minds of young children and, perhaps, changed their lives. Theirattitudes about learning and the world have been greatly affected inonly a short time. In a tiny village in Maharashtra, seven girls, eachunder 10 years of age, typed in their names in English and saved theirfiles using their initials (Noronha, 2002). This anecdote represents asuccess story, as it dispels stereotypes about girls' facility withtechnology. Parent Enthusiasm In reality, computer literacy is a privilege of a few. The growingmiddle class sees computer-related jobs as opportunities to climb up theeconomic ladder. The international market for individuals with computerskills reinforces this perception. In the year 2000, nearly 43 percentof visas issued for high-tech jobs in the United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. went to computerprofessionals from India (Watson, 2001). Parents often exhibit a great enthusiasm for computer studies inschool. The parents of a kindergarten girl (both of them physicians) inBharathi Vidya Bhavan Bharathi Vidya Bhavan is a senior secondary school in Erode in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. OrganisationThe school is run by Dr. L. M. Ramakrishnan, the son-in-law of C.S. Subramaniam, a former governor of Maharashtra. The principal is Philomena Joseph. School, Erode, a city in southern India, aspirefor a career in computers for their daughter: We want her to be a computer scientist. Mathematics is an importantsubject for computers and she must score 100% in maths [math]. We helpher with her homework. We play lots of math games, like counting thenumber of fruits, and dividing them and guessing how many chocolates[are] in a box. We have a computer at home and lots of educationalgames. She is very good at them. (Thirumurthy & Seng-Hoon, 1999) These parents have assumed the responsibility for giving theirdaughter the necessary exposure to stimulate her interest and give her ahead start in operating computers. Many middle-class families own acomputer because it has become a status symbol. Thus, their childrenhave an opportunity to try their hand at the computer, and many of themsurprise their parents with their ability to navigate their way throughthe operating system operating system (OS)Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. . Indeed, they outperform their parents. A father ofa 7-year-old, with unconcealed exhilaration, remarked, "My sonchanges the wallpaper and rearranges the icons every day, and I havedifficulty locating my files. I have to call him to fix [my] operationalproblems." This was a common experience of many parents. Parents of two 13-year-olds in Cochin, Kerala, enthusiasticallyencourage their children to browse the Internet for school-relatedprojects. Since it is customary for parents to be intensively involvedin their children's homework, one of the parents marveled at thebenefits of the new technology: "With the Internet, we gatherinformation in one evening. Think of how much time and effort it savesus!" Working together with their children also enables parents toguide them in selecting appropriate research material. The missing human factor in computer-related activities is aconcern of a few parents and teachers. Parents want to enjoy thebenefits of technology, but believe that human contact must not beforgotten. They realize human development is nested in relationships. Asone parent reflected, "At some point, face to face contact isnecessary. It can't all be done with computers." While thereservations of these parents are legitimate, technology in schools isfar from such a predicament. Diversity in Curriculum The first author visited many schools in Southern India during thelast four years. We share below some of our observations about howcomputers were used in six different schools. There were no computers inthe classrooms in any of the schools we visited; instead, the childrenwere taken to the computer lab (which contained anywhere from 15 to 20computers), according to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. a schoolwide timetable. A couple of the schoolsappointed a technician to assist children and teachers and to monitorthe use of computers. The Bharathi Vidya Bhavan School employed a technician for thecomputer lab, and the children were taken to the lab during theirregular math period. The mathematics teacher also was present to assistthe 1st-graders in playing simple addition and subtraction subtraction,fundamental operation of arithmetic; the inverse of addition. If a and b are real numbers (see number), then the number a−b is that number (called the difference) which when added to b (the subtractor) equals games("Math Their Way"). The first author watched three childrensolve an addition problem. As soon as the numbers appeared on thescreen, the little fingers of two children began to dance on their laps,while the child at the keyboard stared at the computer. The first childsaid, "It is fourteen" and the third nodded as though he wasin agreement. The second child at the computer corrected him, "Chi[no], it is thirteen," but the other two prevailed. When the answerturned out to be incorrect, the child at the keyboard, with greatdisappointment, gave his rebuttal rebuttaln. evidence introduced to counter, disprove or contradict the opposition's evidence or a presumption, or responsive legal argument. , "I told you, it is notcorrect." This time he took charge and punched in 13, which was theanswer. In the National English School English schoolDominant school in painting in England from the 18th century to c. 1850. From 1730 to 1750 two distinctive British forms of painting were perfected by William Hogarth: genre scenes depicting the “modern moral subject,” and the small-scale , Bangalore, the computer houroffered a lot more freedom. This school had three branches in the samecity; the second author was a teacher in one of the schools, and thefirst author visited two of the schools. In one school, each child hadaccess to his or her own computer. Here, children could choose either alanguage or math program, or a paintbrush (graphics, tool) Paintbrush - A Microsoft Windows tool for creating bitmap graphics. program. All of the childrenseemed adept in computer skills. Some of them were already familiar withthe programs. One child whispered to the first author, "This [game]is an old one. I have the new one at home." Affluent parents oftenget the latest educational software for their children from abroad. Some private schools, facing strong competition, and eager tocharge a higher tuition fee, buckle under Verb 1. buckle under - consent reluctantlyknuckle under, succumb, give in, yieldconsent, go for, accept - give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to; "I cannot accept your invitation"; "I go for this resolution" pressure from parents forcomputer education. "They started teaching C, C++ language in thethird standard [third grade]," declared a proud parent whose childis enrolled in a private school. Many parents do not draw a distinctionbetween computer science and computers as a tool for learning. Suchcompetition is not necessarily healthful health��fuladj.1. Conducive to good health; salutary.2. Healthy.healthful��ness n. . However, most of these schools(with a few exceptions) do an excellent job of using computers as a toolfor structuring learning activities. Computers are not integrated with the regular curriculum, nor isthere any uniformity in how the technology is used. In some schools,children do not get to use the computer until they reach the 5th grade.Montfort Primary School (grades kindergarten to 5), run by a Christianmissionary, had a room with 20 computers. During the five days the firstauthor spent at the school, however, the lab was locked and FatherThomas, the principal, was quick to remark, "We try to get thechildren in there whenever we can. Would you like to see our computerlab in the high school? We have more computers and there, maybe, somechildren are working." This was a school that catered to the needsof children from a wider spectrum of socioeconomic strata, with a highpercentage of children from low-income families. In December 2001, the first author visited an elementary school inNanganeri, a small village in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu(tăm`əl nä`d), formerly Madras(mədrăs`, mədräs`), state (2001 provisional pop. State, that served 117 children(59 girls and 58 boys). (It might be of interest to the reader to notethat here, in a village school, the girls outnumbered Outnumbered is a British sitcom that aired on BBC One in 2007.[1] It stars Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner as a mother and father who are outnumbered by their three children. the boys,reflecting the changing trend in India.) The headmaster of the schoolhad a computer in his office, neatly wrapped in a plastic sheet. Thecomputer had crashed while the children were using it, and it had notyet been repaired. When asked about software, the headmaster stated,"It came with the computer.... Children were playing ABC ABCin full American Broadcasting Co.Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. andaddition and subtraction," reflecting his unfamiliarity with theequipment. During the summer of 2000, the first author also spent two days ina private preschool [nursery school nursery school,educational institution for children from two to four years of age. It is distinguishable from a day nursery in that it serves children of both working and nonworking parents, rarely receives public funds, and has as its primary objective to promote ] in an upper middle-classneighborhood in Chennai. The children spent three hours at thepreschool. She observed that on both days, the 4-year-olds were taken insmall groups to the computer room to play language games. While eachchild was given full control of the computer for about five minutes, ateacher was present in case anyone needed assistance. The city government of Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, fundscorporation schools. Most of the children who attend these schools arefrom low-income families, perpetuating the social stratification. Threeyears ago, the first author visited the Kamaraj Corporation School inChennai. This school had a television, a cassette player, and aspeakerphone system. The principal, Rajavelu, was particularly proud ofthe speakerphone system, which had been installed just that year. Overthe last three years, the Years, Thethe seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109]See : Time corporation schools have received more updatedtechnological components. In 2001, the mayor of Chennai, M. K Stalin,announced that an online facility was being made available to 19 school,s in Chennai and soon would be implemented in another 60 schools(Chennai City Corporation Web page). As many as 50,000 students ingrades 9 through 12 would benefit from these online lessons.Inaugurating the first facility at a Corporation Girls' School Girls' School was a single by Paul McCartney and his former band Wings.Written and produced by Paul McCartney it was the other side of the double A-side with Mull Of Kintyre,and was the band's sole UK number one, spending nine weeks at the top in December 1977 and January insouth Chennai, Union Environment Minister T. R. Baalu Thalikottai Rajuthevar Baalu (Tamil: பாலு) was born on June 15, 1941 in Thalikottai, Thiruvarur District in Tamil Nadu. He is the cabinet minister in Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways. T.R. dedicated Rs.10million (approximately $205,000 USD USDIn currencies, this is the abbreviation for the U.S. Dollar.Notes:The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. ) from his constituency fund for theimplementation of the project in south Chennai schools. He added thatthe classrooms would be equipped with liquid crystal display liquid crystal display (LCD)Optoelectronic device used in displays for watches, calculators, notebook computers, and other electronic devices. Current passed through specific portions of the liquid crystal solution causes the crystals to align, blocking the passage of light. (LCD)projectors and screens. Other major cities also have set aside funds for technologicalequipment in schools. A joint project between the government of Indiaand the state of Madhya Pradesh has established virtual classrooms incollaboration with a local university, and they have begun trainingprograms for teachers on technology integration. Computer use is more widespread in the high schools than in theelementary schools. There are competitions, within state and interstateschools, private and public, that challenge students to use computers tosolve a scientific problem. No such programs exist that similarlychallenge elementary school children. Growing Pains grow��ing painspl.n.Pains in the limbs and joints of children or adolescents, frequently occurring at night and often attributed to rapid growth but arising from various unrelated causes. The second author interviewed principals from six schools (onegovernment school and the rest private) in three states (Karnataka,Kerala, and Tamil Nadu), as well as four teachers from private schoolsin Karnataka and Kerala. The principals unanimously gave high priorityto technology education in elementary schools. All the principals have acomputer for their use and seemed to use it frequently. They viewedcomputers as a motivating factor for children, particularly those whodid not enjoy math, because using computers made it fun and easier forthem to learn math. "Some concepts with 3D images can be taughtonly through high-tech," said one principal. The focus of theirresponses was on mathematics; perhaps this reflects the importance thatschools give to mathematics education. All the principals recognized"exposure" as an added benefit for children. When asked about "equity in, access to, and experience withtechnology," the four teachers responded, "They are all equal,at least in schools"; however, one betrayed a bias by adding,"Men are better at it, though." These teachers moved away fromspeaking about technology use in school to more universal issues. One ofthe teachers noted, "Women, as they get information about otherpeople having the same problems through technology, develop a sense ofoneness and kindred KINDRED. Relations by blood. 2. Nature has divided the kindred of every one into three principal classes. 1. His children, and their descendants. 2. His father, mother, and other ascendants. 3. feelings." Yet another teacher added, "Itcontributes to positive attitudes, like taking a stand because of theawareness." A response from the third teacher--that technology canbe "detrimental to development and could hamper theirthinking"--mirrors the cautionary note coming from a few in theWestern world. Technology and curriculum integration drew strong criticism fromthe teachers we spoke with, and it was not hard to see the growing painsthey are facing. Teachers' dissatisfaction surfaced very quickly.One of the teachers reflected that the available educational softwareprograms are "substandard substandard,adj below an acceptable level of performance. , and creating one's own wasimpossible with the given workload and [lack of] know-how." Theseteachers also expressed a stream of concerns about technology andcurriculum integration, namely: misuse, overuse overuseHealth care The common use of a particular intervention even when the benefits of the intervention don't justify the potential harm or cost–eg, prescribing antibiotics for a probable viral URI. Cf Misuse, Underuse. , and overstimulation.Some were worried about "calculators" and the fact that"children are creative in digital art, and losing their originalart," while others stated that "a judicious overuse isnecessary in science and math." Teachers also realize that childrenwill benefit the most only when curriculum is integrated with computers.When asked about pedagogy and instructional practices, one of theteachers shared this comment: "Yes, mixed teaching is taking place,and in the middle school, children make presentations usingcomputers." However, this teacher also added that some teachers areset in their ways, and so change is hard for them. Teachers sense an imbalance in their ability to grasp computerbasics, and feel uncomfortable as children outpace out��pace?tr.v. out��paced, out��pac��ing, out��pac��esTo surpass or outdo (another), as in speed, growth, or performance.outpaceVerb[-pacing, them. Many teachersdo not feel competent enough to use computers, and the training providedis very minimal. Since most teachers have computers at home, they areleft to learn on their own. Schools do not provide LCD monitors toteachers who are eager to use computers at school; hence, they feelstifled. One teacher added that renting an LCD monitor is prohibitivelyexpensive, so she makes do with overhead projectors. Madhya Pradesh State (www.bhojvirtualuniversity. com/abt_class.htm), one of the country's leading pioneers in usingtechnology in teacher training, offers training in technologyintegration in seven modules; it takes 10 days to complete each module.Teachers are required to complete all of the modules. In addition,two-day refresher workshops are offered to trained teachers. Ripple Effect ripple effectEpidemiology See Signal event. A tiny stone has been thrown in the ocean of technology use inschools, and the ripples are just being felt. Much more still needs tobe done. The major hurdles are: 1) inequality in computer access, due toeconomic disparities; 2) insufficient access to education in ruralareas; 3) parents' misconceptions about the computer as a mediumversus computer science as a subject; and 4) lack of teacher preparationin integrating technology into the curriculum. Although all levels of the government--local, state, andcentral--are making efforts to narrow the digital divide between thehaves and have-nots, greater investment is necessary. Increasedawareness and financial contributions from corporate giants offer hopefor equitable access to computers. "Unless modern technology isused for promoting education in the country, it would be virtuallyimpossible to provide access to quality education to children in theremote areas," states the Web site of the Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh(än`drə prä`dāsh), state (2001 provisional pop. 75,727,541), 106,052 sq mi (275,608 sq km), SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. The capital is Hyderabad. government, a state where technology is becoming a way of life(andhrapradesh.com/apwebsite). There is hope for equity in education,even in rural areas. Therefore, India must consummate the marriagebetween technology and education to educate all of its children. Many parents do not realize the potential in using computers as aneducational medium to learn a host of subjects. They are primarilyinterested in computers as a career for their children. A shift in theiroutlook needs to occur, which can happen as they gain greater exposureto computers. Then the parents will demand that schools integratecomputers in teaching and learning. Teacher competency in technology integration is an essential partof successful teaching and learning. Teacher preparation programs mustmove away from focusing on theoretical aspects of computers and towardhands-on training in incorporating computers. As long as teachers are inthe dark, they will fear technology. Once these hurdles are addressed,education and children will achieve the maximum benefit from computertechnology. References Andhra Pradesh Government Web site. Retrieved December 13, 2002,from http://andhrapradesh.com/apwebsite /strategy_paper/strategy_paper_se.htm Government of India, Department of Education. Revised scheme ofcomputer literacy and studies in schools (CLASS) 2002. RetrievedDecember 13, 2002, from www.education.nic.in/htmlweb/class_02.htm Mitra, S. (2000, June). Minimally invasive education for masscomputer literacy. Paper presented at the CRIDALA 2000 conference, HongKong Hong Kong(hŏng kŏng), Mandarin Xianggang, special administrative region of China, formerly a British crown colony (2005 est. pop. 6,899,000), land area 422 sq mi (1,092 sq km), adjacent to Guangdong prov. . National Policy on Education. Ministry of Education, Government ofIndia. Retrieved December 13, 2002, fromhttp://interboardap.nic.in/htmlweb/natpol.htm Noronha, F. (2002). Village kids find computers a useful, simpletoy. Retrieved July 01, 2002, from http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/bytesforall/2002-July/author.html Pallava, B. (2000). 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Paper presented at the annual meetingof the Association for Childhood Education International AnnualConference, San Antonio San Antonio(săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. , TX. Viswanath, N. (1985). Computing in India. Datamation, 31, 178-180. Watson, S. (2001). Land of plenty. Computerworld, p. 46, ElectronicCollection A71557361. Vidya Thirumurthy is a Faculty Member, Early Childhood & ParentEducation Programs, Olympic College Olympic College is a community college, founded in 1946, with its main campus in Bremerton, Washington, United States. Other campus locations include Shelton and Poulsbo. The school motto is, "Cogita, Aspira, Aude, Perade (Think, Aspire, Dare, Achieve)." ReferencesReference 1 . Nithya Sundaram is a Teacher,Gandhi International School, Jakarta, Indonesia.