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Show : Computer In School By TOM BUSSELBERG FARMINGTON - Hun-Jds Hun-Jds more Davis County stu-Ls stu-Ls should be able to have computer terminals come fall. "WE'RE REALLY excited about the fact that over the miner we're installing m.co ystems in the six high schools." says Asst Supt. Lie Stevenson, enthusias-"jlv enthusias-"jlv referring to continued pan'sion of the district's already relatively large ltTgive each high school from 36 to 50 terminals in a classroom, such as what was the typing room, where students stu-dents could use them as a typ-int typ-int instrument as well as a computer, he says, noting that number could grow to 64. If that's not enough, eight or nine w go into another room as accounting students move from their ledger books to the computer world, as well. THEN still another group could be using computers in the data processing room, learning their thing on the Apple-top terminals. Not only high schoolers will benefit from all this change, Mr. Stevenson says, enthusiastically, enthu-siastically, but junior highs and students in the three dozen elementaries. DAVIS HIGH School's served as a sort of pilot school, leading out in a big way, with well over 300 students taking computer classes winter term where the computer rooms were among the most popular places in school after hours, says Louise Lochhead, a business busi-ness instructor who often had students wanting to stay into the early evening hours. "We're trying to make the curriculum more relevent to what we see in the business world" and a high percentage of students are hoping their start at Davis High will provide sound preparations towards that first job. STUDENTS move at various speeds, according to their own level, some working with a pnnter where data is recorded on paper for storage that can be studied longer than is often possible on the screen, while others are engaged in editing, - taking the place of manually typing a letter on a typewriter in more and more offices! "It's the very best, most cost-effective" way, Mrs. Lochhead says, noting it's rec-. ognized that $7.22 is needed to type the average business letter let-ter when everything's added in, not to mention speed of "computerized" mail. TRADITIONAL mail can' lake a week or more for a re- Isponse, holding up business transactions, she says, while computer-data can transmit a more visual letter-such as "illi graphs-and allow response re-sponse within a day. e sma- Advanced typing class stu-ter, stu-ter, rr,o w can have at the computer has ft I'1 if they can type at lems it 30-40 words a minute but aid. sfie emphasizes "technique amends 'ypmg skills are very imitated im-itated frt" ndAI- DAVIS HIGH was utilizing ,n and" the latest in technology, such the f fusing 68,000 chips capacity-lth capacity-lth oft. something not available less M two years ago--a trend fol-wed fol-wed throughout the district. Ray J' The computer terminals find igerfe Wsofuses, as students do ev-;parW ev-;parW yihmg from term papers t0 per nrevil'' r: v V" i , L A. . . X,,, f l:mm L - '1 . j h --v" I p- J , ) ..cri f ' ' 0Jy V il sJ M I f ; ! V : J,.. ' if j ( " ) iifei'--. 7: . - : i ' midliL .. , , ,52 i. t ft wmmum '"f. -V.-;-, - A, L p-w . I -'-' ' V-J ''wyini. , ui ,. ;" ; Vi' f wvvv". " w--''1- - COMPUTER EXPLOSION their accounting, with students stu-dents rotated through use of equipment due to "really high demand" that may lead to instituting in-stituting night classes at Davis High, Mrs. Lochhead says. UNBEKNOWNST to most, many teachers from across the district are brushing up or gaining gain-ing computer skills as they prepare pre-pare to face eager students of the "computer generation" in two months. In fact, virtually all the district's business teachers are going to get their chance at training, she notes. "When we first begin word processing, we teach in logical sequence the steps you would want to follow. Then we meet individual needs," she explains, ex-plains, noting many students have home computers that lend themselves to easy practice prac-tice after hours. AS A STUDENT progresses, more material is provided, . Business Education teacher Louise Locchead oversees word processing , class at Davis High School from winter term. Those students are on vacation, vaca-tion, now, but dozens of teachers are gaining computer expertise as the Davis District plans on implementing a greatly expanded program from high school to elementary level come September. with "terminal testers" used, often, to help a student gain . knowledge. Information is displayed dis-played with various choices listed on the screen. When the student makes the correct choice, he can move forward. When the wrong selection is made, information is provided aimed at assisting the student in finding out where he made the mistake, learning from it and progressing to the next step. TYPING tests on the computer com-puter terminal keyboards make use of the printers, allowing students to check their work immediately, as well, she says. She notes enthusiastic support sup-port for Davis' program by Principal Dick Stevenson as well as Vocational Education Director Clint Zollinger and Jay Stephens, director of financial and data services at the school district office. A LOT of other districts have come to see what Davis High and Davis District are doing, as more and more students stu-dents get their chance at gaining gain-ing computer literacy. "Some students are apprehensive their first week," Mrs. Lochhead says. "But for 99 percent of them, that apprehension's soon gone." Prospective employers are among those enthusiastic, she says, with one amazed how fast students learn typing skills, emphasizing the importance import-ance of speed in effective computer com-puter use. IF INCOMING junior Greg Smith's comments are any indication, in-dication, students are finding what they want in the program. "I really enjoy it and the teachers are really good," the aspiring future accountant says, indicating he plans on taking two periods of computer compu-ter each semester until graduating, gra-duating, noting he's learned several computer languages, but enjoys "basic" the best. He served as a teacher's aid for a time, as well. "I think we have been leading lead-ing out," Mr. Stevenson says. "1 don't think you'll find another system as extensive in any other district as this will be-'to me, it will be a show-place show-place to the state." IN THE junior highs, computer com-puter laboratories eventually will be set up with up to eight computers, allowing students to rotate through for training. On an elementary level, all schools have at least one with more to be purchased and hopefully donated. Elementary Elemen-tary students should gain an introduction in-troduction to concepts and at least get a feel for what a computer com-puter is, he emphasizes. |
