[Wylug-discuss] MS cheating the system

[John Hodrien]

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005, Anne Wilson wrote:

> Don't get me wrong, Steve.  I'm not knocking the teachers.  I've been one
> myself.  No, I'm talking about principles.  When I was teaching we firmly
> believed that the job of teachers was to teach 'how to learn', to give them
> tools for the future.  I expect that most teachers today have the same
> ideals.  This present system of teaching a few tasks, and positively
> discouraging them to try anything different is abhorrent to me.  I've been on
> the employer end, too, and I'd much rather employ a youngster who showed
> willingness to learn than one who simply could do a basic set of jobs.  I'm
> sure you've experienced, now and then :-) a pupil who couldn't leave it
> alone, had to do just that bit more - and probably not what the task-setters
> wanted.  Kids like that are what make teaching a joy rather than a drudge.
> The present system seems to do its best to knock it out of them.

I think you have to look at most current IT teaching as akin to woodwork.
But to be honest if you're going to teach it in that way, I think you'd be
better off teaching them to touch type.

jh

--
"The average PhD thesis is nothing but a transference of bones from one
  graveyard to another."                              -- J Frank Dobie