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| author | elioat <elioat@tilde.institute> | 2023-08-23 07:52:19 -0400 |
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| committer | elioat <elioat@tilde.institute> | 2023-08-23 07:52:19 -0400 |
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| tree | 7d3305c1252c043bfe246ccc7deff0056aa6b5ab /js/games/nluqo.github.io/~bh/stop.html | |
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diff --git a/js/games/nluqo.github.io/~bh/stop.html b/js/games/nluqo.github.io/~bh/stop.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a827708 --- /dev/null +++ b/js/games/nluqo.github.io/~bh/stop.html @@ -0,0 +1,284 @@ +<HTML> +<HEAD> +<TITLE>Stop Saying ``Computer Literacy''!</TITLE> +</HEAD> +<BODY> +<H1>Stop Saying ``Computer Literacy''!</H1> +<CITE>Brian Harvey<BR>University of California, Berkeley</CITE> + +<P>[A version of this paper was published in <EM>Classroom Computer +News</EM> in 1983.] + + +<P>As computers become more widely used in schools, educators have invented +many different ways to use them. The different uses for computers +are based on quite diverse models of what the purposes of computer +education should be. One very common approach is based on the notion +of ``computer literacy'': the idea that there is some basic familiarity +with computers which <EM>all</EM> students need in order to compete in +the job market, or to be informed citizens. The purpose of this paper +is to question whether that notion is valid. + +<H2>The Importance of Metaphor</H2> + +<P>Several educators have questioned the specific details of particular +``literacy'' plans, while accepting the overall concept. ``Computer +literacy doesn't mean X,'' they say, ``it means Y.'' For example, +Arthur Luehrmann says, ``[C]omputer literacy must also mean the ability +to <EM>do</EM> computing, and not merely to recognize, identify, or be +aware of alleged facts about computing.'' (Luehrmann, 1981) His +argument is that a computer curriculum should give students actual +programming experience, not just reading about computers in a book. +But Luehrmann accepts the concept of computer literacy itself, the +idea that there is <EM>something</EM> which every student must learn. +He questions only the details of just what this something is. + +<P>What I would like to do is call into question the claim that there +is anything about computers which belongs in the school experience +of <EM>every</EM> student. I agree with Luehrmann that programming can +be a valuable experience. But the word ``literacy'' means more than +that; it means that everyone must have the experience in order to +be able to function at all in society. + +<P>Many people, hearing me make this argument, have complained that it +is foolish to argue about a word. ``Call it something else, +then, and let's get on with deciding what it should be.'' This complaint +misses the point, and indeed could be said to prove the point. People +who have become accustomed to the ``literacy'' idea find it very difficult +even to entertain the question of whether there is any universally +required computer experience. + +<P>The trouble is that the word ``literacy'' is a magic word, which conjures +up a very strong metaphor. Literacy in its original sense, knowing +how to read, really <EM>is</EM> universally required in our society. +Any educator who suggested eliminating reading from the curriculum +would be laughed at, if not tarred and feathered. Merely to say the +phrase ``computer literacy'' definitively answers a question which +has not explicitly been asked. It's like the classic ``When +did you stop beating your wife,'' but harder to recognize because +it is so widely used. + +<P>One practical result of the literacy metaphor is that many decisions about +computer education have been made in a kind of panic. Parents call up the +school committee to ask why their children are not being trained for the +vital computer job skill. These parents may not know just what that skill +is, and neither does the school committee. But they do know that the +private school down the road has computers. + +<H2>What Everyone Needs to Know</H2> + +<P>It's quite true that more and more jobs involve the use of computers. +That's different from saying that these jobs involve computer +<EM>expertise</EM>. Let's look at some examples. + +<P>A good example of a computer-using job +is that of selling hamburgers at McDonald's. +That machine behind the counter which looks like a cash register is +actually a computer terminal. When you order a Quarter-pounder with +cheese, instead of ringing up whatever the price is, the counter person +pushes a button which says ``Quarter-pounder with cheese.'' +The computer displays the price, but it also keeps track of how many +of this item are sitting under the heat lamps. If they're running +short, the computer tells the cooks in the back to make more. The +same computer can tell the manager to buy more hamburger buns at the +right time. It's a pretty sophisticated system, and helps make McDonald's +a low-overhead operation. + +<P>Now, what does the person behind the McDonald's counter need to know +about computers? He only needs to know that when you ask for a +Quarter-pounder with cheese, he should push the button which says +``Quarter-pounder with cheese.'' That's it. Nothing about input +unit, output unit, processor, and memory; nothing about programming +either. + +<P>Perhaps a more common example is that of computer word processing. +The word processor involves a much more intimate interaction with +the computer than selling hamburgers. Still, the manufacturers of +word processing systems take pains to <EM>hide</EM> the computer, to +make the way you operate the machine as much as possible like operating +an ordinary typewriter. What skills does a word processing operator +need? For the most part, exactly the same skills a secretary needed +before word processing: good spelling and punctuation, touch typing, +being able to read the boss's handwriting. What the computer adds +is mostly a matter of pushing the ``paragraph'' button instead of +the carriage return and the tab. + +<P>There are more specifically computer-related skills, of course, like +threading the fanfold paper into the printer. But that's the sort +of thing which is done differently for each specific model, and which +is part of a very specific job training program. It isn't what you'd +teach in a ``computer literacy'' course for everyone. + +<P>Perhaps the point really is that there are too many <EM>different</EM> +computer-related skills to teach all of them to every student. Using +a spreadsheet program, for example, is very different from using a +word processor. Using a microprocessor-controlled automobile engine +tester is very different from either. Neither ``this is the return +key'' nor actual programming will help much with any of those job +activities. + +<H2>An Analogy</H2> + +<P>Virtually everyone in our society deals with automobiles. Each of +us would do well to know about what goes on under the hood, and many +people do. But many don't, and they function okay. When the car +breaks down, they call the AAA. Some people drive in unusual conditions, +far from help, and those people may need to be self-reliant in the +field of automobile repair. But it would be silly to require an auto +mechanics course for every student. It would be even sillier to require +an ``automobile literacy'' course in which students read about cars +without using one. Many students do find driver training worthwhile, +but even that isn't required. Some people don't drive; some grow +up on farms and start driving tractors long before the official driver +training age; some are taught by their parents. + +<H2>Reasons for Computer Literacy</H2> + +<P>I think the notion of computer literacy grew up in the first place +as an accident of history, because of the great speed with which computers +have become important. Curriculum developers are, by and large, 30 +or 40 or 50 years old. They grew up in a world without computers. +Suddenly, they have had to face up to a shocking change in the very +nature of the world around them. In inventing computer literacy courses, +they have designed a curriculum <EM>for themselves</EM>, not for the +kids who have grown up with Pacman, automated bank tellers, and bar +code readers in the supermarket. + +<P>Another, more sophisticated reason is a confusion about the role of +education in social mobility. Many people think that by learning +to program computers one can get a good job. The problem with this +idea is that what works for a few people stops working when everyone +does it. Many years ago, hardly anyone had a high school diploma. +Those who did have one could get the cream of the jobs. A few decades +ago, about half the population of the United States graduated from +high school. They didn't get the very best jobs--by then, you needed +a <EM>college</EM> diploma for that--but they did get decent and fairly +secure jobs. Now, almost everyone has a high school diploma, and +it's worthless. + +<P>Similarly, the day of the matchbook-cover computer school as the route +to riches is already over. There are many openings for computer programmers, +but the jobs go to people with Computer Science doctorates, preferably +with experience. There is still room for the programming entrepreneur, +but the people who succeed in that role are not the product of computer +literacy courses. They are computer enthusiasts who do it <EM>because it's +fun</EM>, not because it's homework. + +<P>I believe that the effect of the ``computer literacy'' movement will +be the opposite of what is intended. In the early days, when very +few schools offered such courses, their alumni really did have a competitive +edge in the job market. But as we approach the day when every school +offers ``literacy'' courses, a day eagerly sought by those who believe +in the literacy metaphor, there will be more ``literates'' than jobs. +Those who have taken the courses won't find easy jobs. But those +who <EM>haven't</EM> taken the courses will be completely out of luck. +Ironically, the literacy metaphor will become self-fulfilling, not +because there is any real need for such training, but because employers +will start demanding it as a filter for job applicants, just as there +is no <EM>real</EM> basis for requiring a high school diploma for many +jobs today. + +<P>It used to be that computer companies like IBM ran their own training +program for their employees. A friend of my family was a high school +dropout who was hired by IBM as a keypunch operator, and through IBM's +training courses learned to program. She is now a very successful +senior programmer. That sort of opportunity isn't available any more; +you need both a diploma and data processing experience to get hired +at IBM. The poor and the black, who are disproportionately high school +dropouts, will find one more barrier to employment as ``computer literacy'' +joins the list of school subjects which some people pass and some +fail. + +<H2>Another Analogy</H2> + +<P>For a moment, forget about the idea of survival skills, like reading, +and think instead about the high school newspaper. Some kids work +on the newspaper and some don't. For those who do, it is an incredibly +valuable experience. The value is <EM>not</EM> realized only for those +students who go on to become professional journalists. Everyone who +participates learns writing skills, critical thinking skills, and +the subtler skills of meeting deadlines, getting the job done, depending +on themselves instead of on some adult. I would recommend the experience +to any young person. + +<P>But those who don't join the newspaper staff aren't unemployable. +There are other ways to learn the same skills. Also, some people +may not learn those skills at all, but may learn different skills, +in a different setting, perhaps even out of school. + +<P>Now imagine that for some reason there grew up a national movement +for ``journalism literacy.'' Need I describe the results? Aside +from the economic and political disaster I've already mentioned, the +quality of the newspapers themselves would go down. The learning +experience would become a much less valuable one, intrinsically, job +status aside. + +<H2>So What Should We Be Doing?</H2> + +<P>If computer literacy is the wrong idea, what's the right idea? + +<P>One right idea, I think, is suggested by the newspaper analogy. The +computer can be an appealing medium for learning for some students, +without being forced upon every student. Computers are a general-purpose +tool; they may appeal to different students in different ways. One +student may like graphics and animation. Another may like electronic +mail. Another may prefer video games. The architecture and scheduling +of a computer facility should encourage all these diverse uses. + +<P>Another right idea is to make the computer available to students as +a serious tool, in their lives <EM>right now</EM>, not as something they'll +need later. Probably the most important example of this approach +is word processing. Students have to write many papers, for English +teachers, history teachers, and so on. Word processing can make the +mechanics of this task much easier, encouraging second drafts. Instead +of setting up a required course, try just letting students know that +this facility is available to them if they want it. But provide enough +printers to handle the load! + +<P>Finally, for students who are interested, the computer can be valuable +not as narrow job training, but as a medium for developing problem-solving +skills. It can also be a medium for developing independence, since +not every student need be doing the same programming project at the +same time. This educational use of computer <EM>programming</EM> is +the central idea behind the Logo approach to computer education +(Papert, 1980). + +<H2>Conclusion</H2> + +<P>What's in a name? A great deal, when the name brings in a strong +hidden assumption about the sociology and economics of the job market. +``Computer literacy'' implies some skill or knowledge which is +necessary for every person to be able to cope with the computer-centered +society. This implication leads to certain specific policy decisions +about computer education; for example, it leads to spreading out the +available computer time (of which there is never enough) among a very +large number of students, some of whom aren't interested. The ones +who <EM>are</EM> interested then don't get enough time to pursue their +interest in any meaningful way. + +<P>The model implied by the literacy metaphor is false. There are +<EM>no</EM> universally valuable computer skills, or universally important +facts about computers. Changing the definition of ``computer literacy'' +to contain more programming experience, or more study of social implications, +or more study of binary numbers, is missing the point. + +<P>The bad drives out the good. As more and more schools adopt the ``literacy'' +metaphor, other schools are under terrible pressure to go along. +The day will come when the metaphor becomes self-fulfilling. To prevent +that, we must decide explicitly to reject this model +for computer education. + + +<H2>References</H2> + +<P>Luehrmann, Arthur. "Computer Literacy--What Should It Be?" +<CITE>The Mathematics Teacher</CITE> vol 74 no 9, Dec 1981. + +<P>Papert, Seymour. <CITE>Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas</CITE> +Basic Books, 1980. + +<P><ADDRESS> +<A HREF="index.html"><CODE>www.cs.berkeley.edu/~bh</CODE></A> +</ADDRESS> +</BODY> +</HTML> |