Robert's Information Age

Robert Lonergan --:

scannerl.gif (5897 bytes) Schools in the future will not be like schools of today.Every pupil will have a laptop computer to use, provided free by the Government, to use at school and at home. Schoolbooks, as we know them will be no more. Instead textbooks will be on floppy disk or CD ROM which will be much lighter and more convenient .We will also be able to download what we need over the Internet, and store it on our own machines. Class work and homework can also be done over

The Internet. We will be able to send our homework to our teacher and get it corrected. The teacher can then send it back to us with our marks. Our mothers will not be able to see what we are doing, as they won't have a clue about computers. Special cameras about the size of a golfball can let the teacher see the pupil at the computer at home. He will be able to see on his computer who is in or out. So there will be no escaping the teacher in the future either.

monitored3.gif (9135 bytes) Staying at home: Advantages-- more relaxing, no travelling to and from school, no uniforms, no school bags books or copies. No getting soaked going to or coming from school. Food and drink ready at hand in the kitchen.Being able to work in peace and quiet andnot being disturbed by the messers. If you want to go to the bathroom , you just go. No having to stand by the wall until it is your turn.

Staying at home: Disadvantages: Not been able to play or talk or see your classmates, that live faraway. No PE lessons, no art and crafts. No plays can be seen when they come to visit the school. If you get into difficulty learning you won't have your teacher to help you. There will be on need for school bags, because book will be on floppy disk. But we will still need teachers to supervise and also to correct and help with schoolwork.

harddrive1.gif (21149 bytes) To get the work we will need a computer, which every pupil will have. Also on the computer we have maps and special school software to include word processing, web editors, image editors. We will also have scanners built into our computer so we can scan pictures from books, as we need them. We will also have a modem to access the Internet, for games, clubs to join, school-related work, hobbies and general information.

The Internet will be accessed through computers and the telephone and it will also be available through the TV network.

The worldwide can be used for shopping, booking hotels and restaurants getting timetables for buses trains and aeroplanes (etc). We will learn from other children around the world and we can share our knowledge together.Photographs can be taken and received on the screen. This will greatly benefit the Guards and doctors

Parent-teacher meetings through computers.

mouse5.jpg (3443 bytes) Advantages: Think of it. In the future the parent teacher meetings will take place over the Internet on -line. Our mothers will be sitting at home on a chat line to the school direct to the teacher. As a lot of mothers work during the day it will be easier for them to contact the school from home than try and get to the school before the school closes. There can be no excuses from some mothers that they couldn't get off work.Parents will be able to check up on what's going on very easily.

Disadvantages; you would not be able to see the child's schoolwork. (I.e.) pictures, copies, projects, discipline sheets.

pc1.jpg (5184 bytes) Book will not disappear altogether. Textbooks will decrease a lot, but other books will still be around it's a bit difficult to read a book on a computer screen and a bit expensive. Pencils will still be needed to take down notes and for drawing. Teachers will be needed to help disclipine and supervise and correct homework. Homework will be easier to do and floppy disk and CD-ROM lighter and easier to carry will replace more professional textbooks. Seeing how other people live, learning new languages helping other people learn will still be part of the way of learning.

Yes. Things can be discussed easier, lives can be saved, and school kids can learn more, crimes can be solved easier using computers. I hope computers do not take over the world.

We should not forget ordinary ways and ordinary things around us.