DOCUMENT RESUME ED 209 889 EC 140 606 AUTHOP Namzaro, Jean N.,Ed. TITLE Computer Connections for Gifted Childrcz and Youth. INSTITUTION ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children, Reston, Va. SPONS AGENCY National Inst. of Education (ED), Washington, D.C. PE?011** NO ISBN-0-96586-119-6 PUB DATE 81 GPANT 400-76-0119 NOT! 97p. AVAILABLE FROMERIC Clearinghouse or. Handicapped and Gifted Children, The Council for Exceptional Children, 1920 Association Dr., Reston, VA 22091 ($1.CC). EDPS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Computer Assisted Instruction; *Computers; Elementary Secondary Education; *Gifted; *Microcomputers; Program Descriptions; Programing; *Tal ent ABSIPACT Written by computer specialists, teachers, parents, amid students, the 23 articles emphasize the role computers play in the development of thinking, problem solving, and creativity in gifted and talented students. Articles have the following titles and authors: "Computers and Computer Cultures" (S. Papert) ; "Classroom Computers-- Beyond the 3 R's" (F. Bell): "Reflections of a Computer Language Nut" (S. Bloch) ;"It Started with Gamps" (C. Karnes) ;"Two Programs from a Young Eighth Grader"(S. Bahcall, H. Nelson) : "Teaching Parents About Using Microcomputers"(T. Dwyer, M. Critchfield) ;"Children and Home ComputersSome Observations on the First Generation" (B. Banet) :"An Apple a Day Keeps a Kid Cccupied" (P. Buszta) ;"Microcomputers for Gifted Microtots"(A. Coorly) ;"Kids and ComputersThe Future Is Today" (S. Larsen) ;"Micros 'GOTO' School" (D. Piele) ;"The Hampton City Schools Computer Program" (N. Harkavv) ;"The Paducah Tilghman High School for Gifted StuderJ.s" (S. Davis, P. Frothingham): "Computers... pre All Dinosaurs read?" (D. Glover) ;"The Talcott Mountain Science Center" (D.Barstow) : "Computerorics--A Course in Computer Literacy" (P. Bird); "Bringing Microcomputers into Schools"(G. Ropes, H. Gaylord) ;"Statewide Educational Computer Systems--The Many Considerations" (K. Hausmann) ; "Var. Helps Schools Select the Eight Computer"(B. Staples) ;"Some Thoughts on Computers and Greatness in Teaching" (T. Dwyer) :"The Hacker Papers:" and "Educational Software"(D. Lubar). Lists of printed materials, vendors and manufacturers, and resources on using microcomputers in schools c.nd classrooms conclude the document. (SB) *********************************************************************** Peproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) his document has COMPUTER been reproduced as received from theperson or organization originating it Minor changes have been made to improve CONNECTIONS rebroduc boo quality Points of view or opinions stated in this docu mere do riot necessardy represent official NIE position or policy FOR GifTEd ChildnEN ANd YOUTH JEAN N. NAZZARO, EdiTOR TFIE Council FOR ExcEpTioNAl CllildREN A pRoducT of ski ERIC ClutainglIOUSE on HANdicAppEd ANd GlInd ChildREN Cover photograph by Gerald ATate A product of the ERIC Clearinghouse onHandicapped and Gifted Children 22091 Published in 1981 by The Council for ExceptionalChildren, 1920 Association Drive. Reston, Virginia Library of Congress Number 81-69423 ISBN 0-86586-119-6 US Department of This publication was prepared withfunding from the National Institute of Education, Education under contract no 400-76-0119Contractors undertaking such projects under government matters Prior . sponsorship are encouraged to expressfreely their judgment in professional and technical Children for critical review and deter- to publication the manuscript wassubmitted to The Council for Exceptional Points of view, however, do not mination of professional competenceTnis publication l)as met such standards Children, the National Institute necessarily represent the official view oropinions of either The Council for Exceptional of Education, or the Department of Education Printed in the United States of America Contents Foreword IV 1 Why Computer Experiences Are Needed Now Computers and Computer Cultures E Seymour Papert 3 Classroom Computers Beyond the 3 R's Fred Bell 9 2 Perspectives of Gifted Children and Youth Reflections of a Computer Language Nut Stephen Bloch 15 It Started with Games Christopher Karnes 18 Two Programs from a Young Eighth Grader El Safi Bahcall and Harold Nelson 19 3 Computers at Home Teaching Parents About Using Microcomputers Thomas A Dwyer and Margot Critchfield 25 Children and Home Computers Some Observations on the First Generation Bernard Benet 27 An Apple a Day Keeps a Kid Occupied Ron Buszta 28 4 Programs In Action Microcomputers for Gifted Microtots Ann Door ly 31 Kids and Computers The Future is Today Sally Greenwood Larsen 34 Micros "GOTO" School Donald T Prete 37 The Hampton City Schools Compiler Program Net.ra Harkavv 40 The Paducah Tilghman High School "Chernies" Program Steve Johnston 41 Computing at a New Public High School for Gifted Students Steve Das and Phyllis S Frothiogham 43 Computers Are All Dinosaurs Dead? Cl Douglas Glover 46 The Talcott Mountain Science Center Daniel Barstow 49 Computeronics A Course in Computer Literacy Pi-mien Bird 53 5 Getting Started Bringing Microcomputers into Schools George Ropei and Henry Gaylord 57 Statewide Educational Computer SystemsT ne Many ConsiderationsI Kevin Hausmann 60 Vail Helps Schools Select the Right Computer Detsy Staples 63 6 The Human Perspective Some Thoughts on Computers and Greatness in Teaching rThomas A Dwyer 71 The Hacker Papers 73 7 Resources Education& Software Fi David Lubar 83 Printed Materials 87 Vendors and Manufacturers 88 R & D Mini-List of Resources 90 4 Foreword The launch of Sputnik in 1957 served to focus attention on our nation's need to provide special education for gifted and talented students The event was like an electrical shock in thatiZ served to jolt the education community into action with a resulting surge of programs, especially in science ano mathematics At that time, computers were very expensive, very large, and very limited in accessibility The thought of being able to provide computer experiences to youngsters in regular classrooms was unthinkable Nearly 25 years has elapsed since Sputnik's flight and advancements in computer technology have turned what was once unthinkable into something that is becoming commonplace Although more computers are showing up in classrooms every yeas , there is still a long way to go before they will be universally available Competition among world powers is as keen today as it was 25 years ago Although we haven't been jolted recently as we were with Sputnik there is no room for complacency Most people agree that computer literacy will be essential for survival in the 21st century Therefore, there is no time to waste It is urgent that our schools provide computer experiences for today's students, especially those who are gifted The articles in this book clearly reveal that experiences with computers drovide students with insight into the thinking process It is hoped that. after reading this book, educators and other individuals in decision-making positions will be motivated to do something about providing computer experiences for all students Articles written by computer specialists, teachers, parents, and students all emphasize the important role computers play in the development of thinking, problem solving, and creativity Model program strategies for getting started and information on the most current resources have been included tohelp administrators who are ready to make the computer connection for their students My sincere thanks to Russell E Adams who provided me with numerous articles forconsideration from his personal collection of computer magazines His advice and corroborationof my selections for this volume was greatly appreciated Jean N Nazzai o October 1981 1 Why Computer Experiences Are Needed Now Computers and Computer Cultures by Seymour Papert and Classroom Computers Beyond the 3 R's by Fred Bell were chosen as the first sections in this book because they so clearly articulate the value of computers beyond computer-assisted instruction These articles emphasize that real learning comes about when students have the chance to experiment and program computers themselves. Papert comments.."in teaching the computer how to think, children embark on an exploration about how they themselves think. Thinking about thinking turns the child-r) an epistemologist, an experience not even shared by most adultsIf this happens with normal c,len, the insights gained by gifted youngsters may be even more profound. Papert, a mathematician and a student of Piaget, believes that computer experiences for young children will have a profound effect on the age at which they are able to shift from concrete to formal thinking Computer models provide concrete form to areas of knowledge that ordinarily are intangible and abstract. Furthermore, when children learn to program, the process of learning becomes active and self-directed The knowledge is acquired for a recognizable personal purpose. Computers give students some real control over what they learn and how they learn it and this is very motivating. Bell believes that computers can revolutionize learning in schools by teaching children how to function at higher cognitive levels When a student writes computer programs, the six steps of problem solving (posing the problem, precisely defining