The man behind the camp program at Wesleyan College in Fort Worth, doesn’t like to make predictions. But one fact in the future of education Dr. Mark Wasicsko is sure of: computers. “I’m convinced education is going in that direction,” he says “Every state in the country has passed a resolution to aim for computer literacy … and the way to achieve it is by training teachers from the elementary level on up.”
Wasicsko is doing his bit for the cause by setting up programs to promote computer literacy among teachers at Wesleyan and by running the camps. Now, 33 and associate dean of Wesleyan rs School of Education, he’s on expert In the field and a well-known advocate of computer education.
“To be honest,” he says, “l really don’t have much computer background.” He briefly encountered Fortran as an undergraduate, and later occasionally used a Wang while working at Lockheed, but then left computers while earning a Masters in science education, and a PhD in educational psychology. About three years ago, his two children were clamoring for electronic video games, so he bought and built the Sinclair Kit and started reading — about 50 to 100 books on computers and programming in general plus every book available on the T/S100O. Now completely wan over to the ways in which computers can enhance education, Wasicsko is also aware of the larger picture: “There’s a fear that by neglecting computer education in our schools, we’ll be losing out to other countries — Japan, for instance — where they’re available to all students.”
Cost is one problem here, says Wasicsko (though he thinks the low-priced T/S1000 is a breakthrough), but even in schools that can afford computers, attitude can be a problem. “A big disappointment to me is that many teachers are only interested in computer-assisted instruction — prepackaged software so they can let the kids play games. Basically all they want is electronic babysitting, which to me is not the answer. The best use for computers is for kids to learn how they work, how to program them and use them for problem solving.”
There is no shortage of student teachers who feel the some way. ”The teachers who’ll be running this summer program are an exciting group — they’ll be trying out all kinds of teaching on the computers: English, social studies, math . . . By the end of camp, the kids’ll probably know more than they do.”
“It’s not that the teachers are stupid,” he hastens to add. “But kids just seem to be able to walk up to those machines and pick things up in no time.”
With people like Mark Wasicsko around, it’s likely a lot more kids each year will get the chance.