One comp nicenet

Dear Donna and buddies:

I think that both discussion topics of Week7 - One computer and Learners'(+teachers')automony - are 'interconnected'. 

Using or integrating of even one computer gives and develops more automony both of teachers and learners in education at any stage and at any institution...

As far as I know, in some US states kids play and learn using computer at the kindergardens. Some other states are opposing to that.

Lot's of off-line or downloaded and saved programs could be applied in-class to facilitate teaching and learning, motivate and engage pupils/students. But they can be replaced by TVsets and recorders, or even 'teacher's' live performance, textbooks, handouts...

Using Internet in the classroom is A DIFFERENT thing! In my classes at college - it'is not possible. In my previous University experience - possible BUT very limited (i.e. some sites like Youtube are not available, other have limited access and so on). But in turn,there were no problems with number of PCs stations for students.

So, using Internet in the classrom (not a gadget) is a problem that deserves a separate discussion and great teacher's attention... 

Meanwhile, I prefer to develop the strategy of out-of-class(remote)online autonomy of higher education (university age) students through our collaborative course wiki-site, and use our rare and time-limited in-class meetings for oral/speaking/ 'live'communication on textbooks or other syllabus topic.
The less 'live' class hours and the more 'class' attendees we have, the more difficult it gets to teach and to learn efficiently! It doesn't matter with or without a computer. The fact is that so we HAVE TO develop our and our students automony by any possible means...

Kind
Irina