Computers+and+Teaching-Learning

**C. Computers and Teaching/Learning ** Final edit responsible by Ed Ryerson In the computing cycle, the sender sends a message. The computer has to use hardware and software to code the information. It goes through the switch and the router. The router finds the fastest path to the receiver. After it goes through the router, it can hit a firewall. It enters the local area network. The receiver’s computer decodes the information.  Central Processing Unit , also known as CPU was first developed by Intel in 1974. It is responsible for handling all instructions and calculation it receives from other hardware components in the computer and software programs running on the computer. CPU is the brain of the computer--it is the 'compute' in computer. Modern CPU's are what are called 'integrated chips'. The idea of an integrated chip is that several processing components are integrated into a single piece of silicon. Without the CPU, you have no computer. The CPU is composed of thousands (and soon billions) of transistors. Each transistor is a set of inputs and outputs. When the inputs receive electricity, the combined charge changes the state of the transistor internally and you get a result out the other side. This is what makes it possible for the computer to count and perform logical operations, all of which we call //processing.//  A lot of components go into building a modern processor and just what goes in changes with every generation as engineers and scientists find new, more efficient ways to do old tasks.  Execution Core(s)  Data Bus  Address Bus  Math Co-processor  Instruction sets / Microcode  Multimedia extensions  Registers  Flags  Pipelining  Memory Controller  High-Speed Cache Memory  2. Explain various components of a computer system (Input devices, Output devices, Storages -- provide detail and examples on how it related to teaching and learning)  There are many different components to a computer system and each has a different role to play in order for the machine to perform properly. Some of these components are the CPU, RAM, hard drive, mother board, monitor, input/output devices, and many more. Each component has a specific function that without, the computer would not function properly or efficiently.  The CPU is the central processing unit. It is the most powerful micro processing chip in a computer. The speed at which the CPU is measured is giga hertz (billions of cycles per second). The CPU performs stored instructions called programs. These programs are either pre-loaded on a computer or downloaded in some way. The CPU can be coined as “the brain” of a computer. There are four terms that are used to describe the work that a CPU does. The first is “fetch” which does exactly what one might think, this is when the CPU retrieves an instruction. Next is “decode”. This is when the CPU interprets the numerical sequence it has fetched and determines what action is to be taken. Third is “execute”. This is the step in which different parts of the CPU are connected in order to carry out the desired task. Lastly, the CPU performs a task called Writeback. The Writeback phase simply communicates what has been done to some form of memory storage. Writeback more or less just records what has been done throughout the previous steps.  RAM, or random access memory, is the hardware inside your computer that keeps a record of the work you are doing while you are doing it. It is important to understand that RAM is not a permanent memory bank. every time the computer is shut off the RAM is lost. RAM can differ in size, type, and speed depending on the motherboard. A computer’s hard drive is what stores all of your information. Contrary to RAM, a hard drive’s information is always stored and never lost unless deleted by the user. A hard drive’s capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB) so it is also considerably larger than RAM. The motherboard is a very important component as all other components such as RAM, hard drive, and CPU plug directly into the motherboard. The faster data can travel across the motherboard the better the performance of the computer. BUS is the term used to describe the speed at which information travels across the motherboard. There are various input/output devices that a computer can utilize. Input devices include keyboards, a mouse, a mic, or a scanner. Input devices are things that relay information into the computer. Output devices include printers, monitors, and speakers. Output devices are anything that take information from a computer and put it into the world. Lastly is the monitor. The monitor is an output device that allows the user to see what he or she is doing, it's a lot like a T.V. screen but it is also interactive. There are also touch screen monitors in which case it would be considered both an input and output device. Operating systems and application programs go hand in hand with one another.An operating system is an interface between hardware and user. It is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the limited resources of the computer. The operating system acts as a host for applications that are run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware. This relieves application programs from having to manage these details and makes it easier to write applications. Almost all computers, including handheld computers, desktop computers , supercomputers , and even video game consoles , use an operating system of some type. Some of the oldest models may however use an embedded operating system that may be contained on a compact disk or other data storage device. All desktop computers have operating systems. There are hundreds of other operating systems available for special-purpose applications, including specializations for mainframes, robotics, manufacturing, real-time control systems and so on. For other devices, an operating system creates the ability to serve a variety of purposes, interact with users in more complicated ways, and keep up with needs that change over time. Operating systems offer a number of services to application programs and users. Applications access these services through application programming interfaces. Application programs are any tool that functions and is operated by means of a computer, with the purpose of supporting or improving the software user 's work. It is the subclass of computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform. An application program is any program designed to perform a specific function directly for the user or, in some cases, for another application program. Examples of application programs include word processors, database programs, Web browsers, development tools, drawing, paint, and image editing programs, and communication programs. Application programs use the services of the computer's operating system and other supporting programs. The formal requests for services and means of communicating with other programs that a programmer uses in writing an application program is called the application program interface. Application programs are also any data entry, update, query or report program that processes data for the user. It includes the generic productivity software as well as custom and packaged programs for payroll, billing, inventory and other accounting purposes. <span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">4. <span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One to One computing One-to-one computing means putting a computer, a PC, laptop, handheld, or tablet PC into the hands of every student. While many educators say that one-to-one computing is transforming education for the better, others say it's making the classroom teacher's job harder than ever. Some even believe that the emphasis on technology actually //prevents// students from learning. Much research has been conducted on reasons to consider one-to-one computing in the classroom, research data on the impact of technology on student achievement, concerns about technology's overuse in the classroom, and tips to ensure that classroom computing helps, rather than hinders, the learning process. Following are reasons most often given for providing students with one-to-one classroom computing tools: Many researchers believe that one-to-one computing increases student achievement although this is difficult to prove. Standardized testing makes the need for improved student learned and less wasted effort. Most research on one-to-one computing has been done by computer companies preventing objective research results. Many educators say that attendance and student interest improves in classrooms using one-to-one technology. One-to-one computing helps students to become engaged in the lesson and interested in the teacher’s message. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> One-to-one technology is at its best in classrooms in which learning is driven by projects requiring research, collaboration, and production of a final product (a slide show, video, or Web page). Another bonus of one-to-one computing is that time and distance no longer create barriers when students can access the world around them in an instant. High school students can see news unfold on their laptops. Elementary students can view locations around the world on a Web cam and get real-time local data. Middle school students can e-mail a nuclear physicist to clarify questions raised during science class. Many of the advantages of one-to-one classroom computing also can apply to computers in a lab or at a small classroom computer center. Capitalizing on a student's intriguing question or on an unexpected discussion is much harder, however, when a teacher has to schedule computer time. In a one-to-one computing classroom, students and teachers are able to learn and teach as they go. When a student's only exposure to a computer is in a lab at the end of the hall, technology can be seen as a fragmented skill unrelated to daily life or a future career. As we know, however, computers are essential for almost any job -- doctors record patient notes on Tablet PCs; small businesses order supplies online; farmers check the Internet for the latest weather conditions. One-to-one computing ensures that all students have the skills and confidence to integrate technology into their future, as well as their present. eMINTS stands for enhancing Missouri's Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies. The goal of the eMINTS Program is to transform classrooms into places for learning where teachers and students use multimedia tools to better understand the world, work together and achieve at new and higher levels. Each eMINTS classroom is equipped with student computers, an interactive SmartBoard, a projection system, scanner, digital camera, and printer. However, the success of the eMINTS Program has more to do with the instructional practices that are used in conjunction with the technology rather than with the technology equipment itself. The eMINTS professional development program provides teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to examine and change their teaching practices as they relate to instructional technology. In order to become certified, each eMINTS teacher must complete 175 hours of training over a two-year period. Additionally, mentoring and classroom visits support eMINTS teachers as they learn how to incorporate new skills and strategies into their classrooms. Instructional functionality is key in an eMINTS classroom. To achieve the desired level of instructional functionality, specific Internet and equipment connectivity requirements must be met. Connectivity requirements may be met using either wired or wireless connectivity configurations or may be a combination of the two. In addition to Internet connectivity, equipment may need to be upgraded to achieve the following instructional functionality: The following items must also be available and current for a successful functioning eMINTS classroom: [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">
 * 1) Explain the computing cycle.
 * 1) What's operating system? What's an application program?
 * Increases achievement**
 * Increases student engagement**
 * Complements project-based learning classroom**
 * Broadens learning beyond the classroom**
 * Takes advantage of the teachable moment**
 * Prepares for tomorrow's workplace**
 * 1) eMINTS classroom
 * 1) Teacher workstation connects to interactive whiteboard.
 * 2) Teacher workstation image appears on teacher monitor and interactive whiteboard.
 * 3) Student work can be displayed on interactive whiteboard through a shared folder system or server.
 * 1) eMINTS building connectivity – a reliable 1-2 Mbps connection. Wireless networking is an option as long as it is at least 1 Mbps.
 * 2) Networking (bandwidth, switches, cabling for teacher workstation, networked printer and student computers).
 * 3) Any electrical service in the official eMINTS classrooms to support the computers, interactive whiteboard and projector. (As with the network cabling, electrical installation should be flexible to allow teachers to rearrange furniture placement as much as possible.)
 * 4) Air-conditioning.
 * 5) Telephone with full outside access is highly recommended (multiple options are allowed but teachers in eMINTS classrooms must have adequate access to telephone technical support in the same location as their computer).
 * 6) Filtering software needed to meet federal and state requirements.
 * 7) Participating districts are expected to provide program participants with functional e-mail service and with server space of sufficient size and with reasonable access for easy uploading of website folders particular to the programs in which they are enrolled. Teachers and PD4ETS participants must be able to publish their websites to the Internet.
 * 8) 30 related Websites (URL + site descriptions)