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Show Computers finding niche in Uonvsh cflascirooinras Computers in the classroom are a popular item in the Uintah School District, but as in other things, just isn't enough to go around. Leading the state in the use of computers com-puters in the business classroom, Robert Jameson, business instructor at Uintah High School, is using double shifts so that business students have a hands-on experience ex-perience on the department's six computers. com-puters. This is the third year business students have been offered computer word processing and accounting as part of high school business classes. "We should have started the program six years ago," Jameson said. Next year a separate business-computer business-computer class will be offered. "Computer literacy is upon us, which means everybody will need a key boarding boar-ding skill," he said. Mary Swanson, instructor at Maeser Elementary, told the Uintah School Board last week that she teaches math to about 100 students using the computer. "Students can't wait in the morning to get on the computer, and once they are using it they don't want to stop," she said. The one attribute which makes computers com-puters an excellent teaching tool is its patience. pa-tience. It will repeat a drill until the students gets it correct. At the end of the a drill student's scores are tabulated by the computer for review by the instructor. Some teachers may be afraid of the computer, because they say it may replace them, but David Swanson, district staff who coordinates the use of the computers, doesn't see it that way. "Drills and tedious work can be easily easi-ly handled by the computer, freeing the teacher to teach concepts and applications." Swanson's philosophy for the computer program in the Uintah School District is a "stick to the knitting" approach. "We don't want bells or flashing lights, but just a basic computer system with no frills." The Uintah School District has 90 computers, com-puters, 74 being used and 16 new ones which haven't been distributed. Swanson told the Uintah School Board Thursday that when the district first began to purchase pur-chase computers they made a decision to stick to one manufacturer, Apple. f '.'' . ; ' i i . ' , . .... ...... , ; ,- : I ;V - 1 , - w. i ' i ! "r ' . : r . ' " i f ..- ? . - . - . . ; j u. . , ; i : i ! jT . .... . J i 'it i i ! i ' : . I k. ,t . , " , I ' - t I t , 1 -"t L , . n- ......n.,,. SCHOOL BOARD member Verlin Vincent examines a disk drive used in most of the computers being utilitized by the Uintah School District. Many school districts will buy several types of computers which are not com-patable com-patable to each other, he said. The district made the decision to use the Apple Ap-ple Computer because of its large supply supp-ly of software. Jameson said that he was instructed by the state not to use the Apple Computer Com-puter because it didn't have the correct keyboard, but now Apple has come out with a new model with the correct keyboard. He said he was pleased with the performance of the computers. Swanson showed the district an array of five common tools which is "all that is needed to repair the district's computer." com-puter." He said that they have had no major problem with the computers. Swanson also told the district that computers com-puters increase the productivity in the district. He said that he is teaching a class instructing teachers how to use a computer in the classroom in areas of classroom management. He showed the board examples of work sheets, report cards, and examinations which teachers developed with classroom computers. An innovative use for the computer is to interphrase it with a large projection screen and use it as a chalkboard, Swanson Swan-son said. Although computer programming classes are taught at the junior high and high school, Jameson said that the job market doesn't want computer programmers program-mers just out of high school, but there is a need for word processor operators. For example, a student in Jameson's business class has secured a word processing pro-cessing job with a local law firm under the Coop program. Ideally there would be one computer per classroom in the school, said Swanson. Swan-son. Eventually you will see a computer in every home. "They will have to have one," Swanson said. They will be used for bank deposits, shopping and receiving large amounts of information which is already being offered for about $6 a month to homes in the state with computers. Although the district has received substantial help in state grants for purchasing pur-chasing the computers in the district there is not enough to go around. Jameson said his computer class already has too many students for the number of machines, forcing him to limit enrollment to only seniors. Mrs. Swanson said that other grades at Maeser School have begged to use the computer, but because of the shortage, only third and fourth grades use the machines. The major limiting factor to the number of computers in the district is the cost, about $1500 each without a printer or additional software. "But now a good electric typewriter costs about as much as a computer," Jameson said. He said that there are about 70 typewriters in the district and he doesn't foresee that they will be replaced by computers despite the move of business in that direction. t v i - -v - ROBERT JAMESON gives additional instruction to Lisa Hatch, senior in a business cooperative office procedure class at Uintah High Schoc which teaches students basic computer skills 1 j I j 'j , i ' i I I "j j , j" j - t j r i . . . ; i ; . .. : , " t ? : 1- ' I N"e """" - - DAVE SWANSON, district staff, explains the uses of the computer and its role as an educational tool. He addresses the Uintah School Board ol Education. |