When we examine what s wrong with public schools, we need to look at the whole picture and equip students with skills that they will use, and these are not necessarily those that are graded on the new crop of state tests. While most educators champion the use of computers in the classroom, meshing these skills with academics often has resulted in a confusing, if not ineffective, teaching, wasting the talents of the students as well as wasting the multi-million dollar investment in computer gear. We have seen some encouraging results mixing high technology to complement academics at four high schools in Baltimore s inner city in School to Work on the Information Highway, now entering its fifth year. The textbooks in these classrooms are complemented by CD-ROMs, which direct the students into virtual workplaces. The computers provide resources in schools where the reference books in the library are either nonexistent or as outdated as manual typewriters.
Academic skills are interwoven with real-life practical skills.
But we have to bring teaching into the 21st century. Teaching in this information age requires less lecturing, drilling and testing time and more cooperative learning, coupled with the acquisition of communication and computer skills. Classrooms in these classes center around the computer and how to use it for research and presentations. In the 9th grade program on tourism and hospitality, students publish brochures of profitable tours of the city and create a budget for a tour package. In 10th grade, students design a store in a shopping mall, prepare loan documents and make a presentation to secure a loan.