ERIC Number: ED234969
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1983-Oct
Pages: 24
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Role of Microcomputers in Rural Schools.
Trueblood, Cecil R.; Flanagan, Kathleen R.
The experience of Central Pennsylvania's Keystone Central School District (KCSD) illustrated how microcomputers can help solve some of the characteristic problems of rural schools. KCSD's Renovo Elementary School has 3 stand-alone microcomputers and the district's Buckeye High School has 12 networked microcomputers. One major benefit of the microcomputers has been to improve communication in the district; like many rural school districts, it encompasses a wide geographic area, has many widely-separated small school sites, and is isolated from major colleges, universities, and other sources of information. KCSD has found that word processing allows the fast preparation of reports and instructional materials which can be distributed via modem throughout the district. Also, electronic mail allows faster, closer communication among schools and between the administration and the various schools. Finally, on-line discussion with educational consultants is both faster and more economical than site visits. Another major benefit of microcomputers has been to address successfully the educational problems of keeping individualized records (especially as required for handicapped students by PL 94-192), improving testing and learning, increasing the quality of basic mathematics instruction, developing computer awareness among faculty and students, and increasing teacher interest in classroom research and curriculum development. (SB)
Descriptors: Communication Problems, Computer Assisted Instruction, Computer Literacy, Computer Oriented Programs, Curriculum Development, Educational Research, Elementary Secondary Education, Mathematics Instruction, Microcomputers, Problem Solving, Rural Environment, Rural Schools, School Districts, Small Schools, Teacher Attitudes, Teleconferencing, Use Studies, Word Processing
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A