Computers & Education

[Nimbus]

So, here in my country (Ireland), we receive almost no computer training whatsoever. Some schools do an optional course during fourth year (AKA Transition Year, which is also optional) called the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence). Basically, all it teaches is basic Microsoft Office, how the make folders and move files, etc. It's a total joke. I'm sure most of you will agree, that is totally insufficient.

We're living in 2009, in the middle of the computer age, and our education system is not even close to equipped to handle that. Even the students doing subjects like accounting are still working with pen-and-paper. This is a total joke. Nowhere in the world is accounting still done in pen-and-paper, and yet the entire country has to learn to do it this way.

Now on to the discussion: Is your country's education system equipped for the computer age? Do you get enough (if any) instruction in using computers? Are there any monumental fuck-ups, like the accounting example presented above, caused by your education system being stuck in the past?

 

[GreyWolf257]

We have plenty of computer training. I've already had some schooling in it in every grade since fifth and am currently taking a Web Design course. Your schools should write somebody, but I don't know who.

 

[Idlemessiah]

I live in the UK, so I have the same problems as you. Didn't get I.T. classes in high school until I was 13/14 ish.

But that doesn't matter now. I'm an archaeologist. We study archaic humanity using archaic tools. Best computer in the department is a glorified calculator ¬_¬

 

[Dark Knifer]

I did a laptop course at school, we got our own laptops and this made text books redundent. We also have several IT courses at our school, my brother just finished his year 12 course for software design and development. So we have it pretty good when it comes to computer training.

 

[Calobi]

I never had any formal computer training. Almost all my schools from elementary school to high school (I'm from America, so that's everything up until college/university for those who aren't sure) had computers in the classrooms that students would use for projects from time to time.

My high school had some computer vocational areas in it which I was in. The one I picked, however, sounds like the ECDL. Was a boring, joke of a shop area, but we also a telecommunications shop where you learned about the insides of computers. Most of the people in both these areas were already technically learned and it was once non-college schooling was almost done, though, so I can't tell if either one actually helped in any way.

 

[Nimbus]

...I believe that essay writing should involve actual writing, rather than typing...

Woah, back up. Care to expand on this?

 

[KurnalGraham]

I dont think where ever going to get any decent computer education as long as schools keep using windows

 

[cthulhu257]

I'm in a computer applications class now. Even though it's mostly just Microsoft Office, it's still a pretty good class to take. Also, the school's filthy rich, and has computer labs in every building, which is pretty convenient.

 

[grimsprice]

I learned all on my own because i'm a god damn ninja. I taught myself how to type after the short 1/3 year typing class totally failed.

 

[esperandote]

here schools get the equipment, mostly because polticians then can take credit for it, but is very underused. One of the reasons is the teachers that aren't technology aware enough and the other reason is kids not wanting to lear anything, thought a summer course, i learned that the hard way.