The evolution of the school computer. Part two, modern

( Source )
We continue the story about the evolution of school computer classes and the development of curricula in computer science. In the first part, we recalled the first steps of computer science in Soviet schools; The second discussion will focus on the recent past and present, in addition, we will leave some room for discussion about what the computer literacy school should teach. As usual, we invite everyone to express their point of view in the comments.

Part 3. Before and after the millennium.

At the very beginning of the new millennium, the computer classes of Russian schools were a rather motley show. In the new-market confusion of the 90s, some schools managed to snatch quite a decent technique for themselves (with the help of new Russian sponsors, of course) and boasted to colleagues with their second and third Pentiums, well, or at worst, Tseleronami. Others, especially provincial and rural schools, still used Soviet CC-NC or non-Soviet Yamaha, thinking with horror what will happen when they break. However, fortunately, misfortunes did not happen - the very first attempts to establish a systematic supply of schools with computers were taking place at this time.
The details of what was happening, I think, differ from region to region, but on the whole the picture looked about the same: computers began to arrive at schools in portions of different sizes. For example, our school (remember, this is about Nizhny Novgorod), for the beginning, grace poured out in the form of two PCs. This time there was no zoo anymore, since x86 had already replaced all other platforms from the mass segment.
The first experience of mass connection of schools to the Internet belongs to the same time. In our region, traffic control was carried out under the auspices of the city administration, schools received free (albeit terribly slow) Internet via a modem for the Zelaks physical lines. If not difficult, please write, when and how to connect your school? It is very interesting to me.


Russian school ... ( source )

Taking advantage of the new operating systems, teachers began to actively integrate class computers into local networks, which made it possible, using special programs, to centralize class management, thus greatly simplifying the life of the teacher. By the way, the next major school campaign is connected with software, this time - at the state level. Until a certain time, schools, like many other organizations of our immense Motherland (not to mention citizens), did not care much about the licensing of the software used. Meanwhile, the country had to go out of the twilight, therefore a grandiose attempt was made to legalize school software in the framework of the First Aid program. The program provided schools with a 3-year license for the most popular commercial software, including Microsoft operating systems. Schools, especially provincial, cheered, but now it's been 3 years - and? That's right, the Ministry of Education orders to demolish all programs that have been applied and order free software, that is, Linux (facepalm.jpg). About the adventures of Linux in schools could write a separate article, I will not go into details here.
So, having hardly recovered from the surprises of the native state, the schools entered today with the hardware and software baggage that they managed to buy in various ways.
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Part 4. Today + tomorrow

And to buy, as you know, it turned out differently, and in most cases not enough. There are not enough programs, because the skinny school budget is enough only for the most necessary. There are still not enough computers, because now they are used not only for computer science. How to be? There are not so many options. Most schools choose the simplest way: they increase the number of classes and, over time, seek funds for their arrangement. Such a technique can hardly be called methodically flawless: the needs of the school are still ahead of the “flow of time”. In addition, computer classes have a special status: you can’t put anyone in them. It turns out that the premises for computers are, as it were, withdrawn from the school’s circulation, which is not good.


... and the British. Find the difference ( source )

Other schools approach the issue more ingeniously: instead of a desktop class, they buy a set of laptops or netbooks. Outside of hours, they are stored on charge in special rooms, and when the moment comes they are brought to the classroom, which immediately becomes computerized. Moreover, if we add another access point to the kit, we will get a computer network, which is not so difficult to bring to the Internet. Such sets, in principle, can be any number - there would be means. And by the way, by the way, everything also turns out well: the netbook class is no more expensive than the PC class, and there are no problems with the operating system, since it is already pre-installed.
However, the problem can be solved even more dramatically, in principle, abandoning school computers in favor of individual student computers. It is this doctrine that Intel consistently implements as part of the Intel Learning Series program. On the key product of this series, namely, about the Intel classmate PC, Intel blog was written several times , but it was long enough to return to the topic again. Currently, the Learning Series line consists of three types of devices:

• Intel studybook - 7-inch tablet for the student on the Intel Atom Z650 processor running Windows 7 or Android Honeycomb;
• Intel Teacher PC - teacher workplace based on a laptop or ultrabook;
• Intel classmate PC is a student computer in two versions: a conventional netbook (Clamshell) or a netbook-transformer with a touch display (Convertible). Both are assembled on the Intel Atom N2600, using Windows 7 or Linux as the OS.

Intel classmate PC-Clamshell

All student devices from the Learning Series have a number of special features, the need for which is dictated by the specifics of their use. First, it is protected from external influences (special case, waterproof keyboard). Secondly, a set of pre-installed programs for working in the classroom and interacting with the teacher’s computer. And thirdly, the affordable price, which allows to deploy an Intel solution in countries with a poor education system, to which we, too, unfortunately belong.


Intel studybook tablet

In fact, the Intel school computer is a complete replacement for the student portfolio, but it’s not desirable to beat them on the head with their neighbor. All the other functions of the main device for teaching it performs perfectly: electronic textbooks are easily accommodated in it, and homework is easily done (even handwritten), let alone from all kinds of buns in the form of self-checking examinations, automatically sent homework, etc. razomleet any teacher. The only question is whether something like this will be implemented here in the foreseeable future. I still believe that at least to some extent it will be.


Intel classmate PC-Convertible

Part 5. What to learn in computer science?

In this post, I deliberately still did not touch on the topic of the school program in computer science, in order to formulate these thoughts as a separate block. Let me remind you a summary of the previous series. At the time of the emergence of computer science in Soviet schools, the program of this subject was purely academic, theoretical concepts of cybernetics and programming languages ​​were taught. In subsequent years, it increasingly shifted to the applied side, and by the beginning of 2000, they were already studying specific specific software, such as text, graphic editors, operating systems, etc. Is it good or bad? And in general, what should be learned in computer science lessons? As a person, with some side related to the subject, I would venture to express my opinion.
Studying specific programs seems at first glance not a very good idea. Indeed, one text editor could teach you, and later you had to work in another. Another aspect of the problem is that the programs themselves change over time. I remember well what kind of gap the teachers had from the new “ribbon” interface of MS Office 2007. But you don’t have to teach students to poke buttons, it’s much more useful for them to know that every text editor has search and replacement, there are standard formatting tools and t .d Having such basic knowledge, a person will more quickly find a common language with Word, and with Writer, and with Pages. The same with operating systems: from the user's point of view, there is no fundamental difference between Windows and Linux: if you know what to look for, where it is located, you will definitely find it. In my opinion, it is absolutely necessary to raise PCs from children. Despite the fact that the computer is now in almost every family, most children still do not know how to handle it if it is about something more complicated than running a toy from the desktop. Meanwhile, the demand for computer literacy is growing every year; By giving her the basics of school we make it easier for adolescents to take their first steps in the professional arena.
The study of programming languages ​​must also be present in the school curriculum, if only because it is one of the most easily learned ways to train logical and mathematical thinking. The ability to break a task into simple steps, to optimize the implementation of each step and the entire task as a whole, to correctly identify all the branches - only computer science can give these skills at school, and they will be useful not only to programmers.

It turns out that, whatever one may say, it is necessary to teach both that and, in principle, that now takes place. On this optimistic note, with faith in the bright future of school informatics, let me finish this post.