At a recent parent council meeting at your child's elementary school, a group of parents raised objections to the use of computers in the classroom

Question

They felt that teachers used computers solely to entertain the children and that computers were a waste of instructional time. What can you tell his group of parents about the benefits of using computers in the classroom?
What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A good answer will be similar to the following:
First, computers allow individual instruction that occurs at the student's pace. This may be particularly helpful for students who are slower or faster than the average students in the class. Second, simulation programs allow for experiential learning. These simulations allow students to experience things such as space travel without leaving the classroom. Third, graphics and word-processing programs are important tools that ease the drudgery of assignments so that students can concentrate on the creative aspects of the assignments. Fourth, computers may free some of the teachers' time so they can spend less time on drill-type tasks and more time on other aspects of instruction.