Norris, Cathleen A. (1994, February). Computing and the classroom: teaching the at-risk student. Computing Teacher, 21, 12, 14.
This short article is presented as a description of specific educational-enhancement projects on one hand, and a statement of belief about appropriate instructional praxis on the other. It appears to be part of a series of reports about possible real-world solutions to difficulties associated with children who are not motivated or encouraged in the classroom setting. The educational enhancement designed to combat such problems, of course, is the use of computers to facilitate individualized instruction.
The thesis that drives this story about the connection between technology and students who are at risk for falling behind their classmates on the learning curve or indeed for behavioral dysfunction is that technology, particularly the computer, can be a tool of individualized instruction. That method more than any other, Norris says, has been shown to be the best intervention for the at-risk student population. As Norris describes the need for such instruction, she zeroes in on the variety of computer-based learning systems, especially so-called integrated learning systems (ILS) and computer simulations. In her view, computers have opened up entirely new possibilities for teachers to adopt or experiment with previously unavailable teaching strategies--and so to facilitate previously unused learning strategies on the part of the students. Electronic books, including encyclopedias on CD-ROM, can facilitate this process.
Individualized instruction means individualized curriculum tailored to the specific needs and achievement level of a student; the computer can help design such a program for the student as well as help the teacher evaluate the student's progress. Collaborative learning refers to a process whereby students essentially trade opportunities to demonstrate, with reference to computer simulati<...