I grew up on Apple 1 and 2, BBC Micro, and Sinclair ZX80/81 and Spectrum. Computing was new, exciting, available, and there was nothing like it or better at the time. These machines and what they represented were the future. They were even trendy. They were a 4 day week even!!!
That is not the case now.
While I admire the great priced hardware and look forward to playing with a Pi applying them to various "problems", I cannot see this kids lark at all. I showed my kids these things, and they have no interest in them what so ever. They have PC's, laptops, tablets, smart phones, Xboxs, PS3's, etc, etc. What do these things do? Not a lot. What can they be made to do? Less than everything we all ready own. They are impressed with it's size and price, but that is all. All they see is a very small computer that can do these same things their current machines can do, just.
Education? Think about schools (UK schools in my case). Budgets are squeezed, curricula locked down and time tight. Not to mention the lack of low level computing skills in the staff. Well, high level isnt much better, one of my kids acts as a class assistant because the teacher is pretty much clueless. Who is going to champion this and when? How are kids going to be motivated to do this low level stuff when they have alternatives that are much more exciting and "hip"?
Im sorry, I don't believe the Pi is going to solve the education aim at all. The idea is commendable, and I recognise the problem and support any attempt. But I honestly don't see kids getting excited and I don't see any structure that will either capture or motivate them.
Sure, they are selling. Rightly too. But who too? 8 year olds, or geek experimenters like me? I mean, I can see loads of geeky uses. Im loving it. But any kids? Any primary schools? I was in primary school when I first encountered a computer. Secondary school it too late.
I dont want to be down on it in any way, it is a brilliant bit of kit, incredible price too, loads of uses, I must have one, but cant see it starting an educational revolution like BBC Micro (and many others) did.
I mean, its just too darn complicated. The old ZX81, 4 chips. The circuit is so simple. The software was simple.
You know, its just so darn complicated now. There is too much of a gap.
Ooooooo. That was long, and a bit garbled. Sorry.... :)
That is not the case now.
While I admire the great priced hardware and look forward to playing with a Pi applying them to various "problems", I cannot see this kids lark at all. I showed my kids these things, and they have no interest in them what so ever. They have PC's, laptops, tablets, smart phones, Xboxs, PS3's, etc, etc. What do these things do? Not a lot. What can they be made to do? Less than everything we all ready own. They are impressed with it's size and price, but that is all. All they see is a very small computer that can do these same things their current machines can do, just.
Education? Think about schools (UK schools in my case). Budgets are squeezed, curricula locked down and time tight. Not to mention the lack of low level computing skills in the staff. Well, high level isnt much better, one of my kids acts as a class assistant because the teacher is pretty much clueless. Who is going to champion this and when? How are kids going to be motivated to do this low level stuff when they have alternatives that are much more exciting and "hip"?
Im sorry, I don't believe the Pi is going to solve the education aim at all. The idea is commendable, and I recognise the problem and support any attempt. But I honestly don't see kids getting excited and I don't see any structure that will either capture or motivate them.
Sure, they are selling. Rightly too. But who too? 8 year olds, or geek experimenters like me? I mean, I can see loads of geeky uses. Im loving it. But any kids? Any primary schools? I was in primary school when I first encountered a computer. Secondary school it too late.
I dont want to be down on it in any way, it is a brilliant bit of kit, incredible price too, loads of uses, I must have one, but cant see it starting an educational revolution like BBC Micro (and many others) did.
I mean, its just too darn complicated. The old ZX81, 4 chips. The circuit is so simple. The software was simple.
You know, its just so darn complicated now. There is too much of a gap.
Ooooooo. That was long, and a bit garbled. Sorry.... :)