The Good and the Bad About By JEAN LOCK KUNZ AND SPYRIDOULA TSOUKALAS, CANADIAN COUNCIL ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Computers have become an important part of adult literacy. A recent survey conducted by the Canadian Council on Social Development shows that more than eight out of ten students in adult literacy programs in Ontario use a computer. Nearly a quarter of the students surveyed use the computer every day. In comparison, only six out of ten students use the Internet, and only one in ten use the Internet every day. Most people feel that computers and the Internet are the ways of the future. How are computer technologies useful in learning? We asked students what they like and do not like about the computer. Here is what they said. Computer the good: it opens up new doors to learning. "I never used a computer ‘til I came back to school. This has opened up a lot of new areas to explore." "I like the way you learn different things. I can sit down by myself, relax, take it easy and learn." "I suffer from the effects of a head injury. My right side suffers (arm, leg) from spasm and a computer would make my writing more legible." "I think computers are great fun. Once you get started on them, it is hard to leave them." It improves employment prospects: "Most of the jobs now, you need to know computers - it is important to know how to use them." "In this day and age, almost everyone needs to know how to operate a computer." "Oh, yeah - because if they don't then you see a lot of people losing their jobs because they haven't (i.e., the computer skills) - they don't know." The Internet and Email make life more fun: "The best thing about computers is the Internet. Personally, I check my email. I get a lot of information off the Internet for my school projects." "They (computer and the Internet) can be used for both work and pleasure." "The Internet gives you useful information on a lot of topics -and the way you get the information can be fun." It is frustrating: "I have 3 pet peeves: they are not static guarded; they freeze; and there are power failures. You're just finishing your essay, and all of a sudden, buzz, it's gone." "I'm afraid it's going to blow up!" " It can be confusing sometimes if you don't know enough about them. It costs too much: "I feel that programs shouldn't cost so much. One day I was downloading a program from the Internet and it cost $80 for a CD-ROM. That's way too much." "The cost is what 1 don't like about computers. It's a choice: buy a computer or pay my rent." |